How to get ahead: Lie and cheat?

22 Responses to “How to get ahead: Lie and cheat?”

1. Amadeo October 16, 2006 at 2:47 AM

   

   “But In my opinion, it’s better to start with the next generation of would be leaders to alter the culture of cheating. And run after the cheaters that are in position.”

   For all his public failings, Mao Tse Tung got it right too when in frustration he gave up on his current and older generations and decided to put his stakes with the young generation, the next generation, where meaningful changes could be inculcated and developed.

   This started his (and unfortunately, Mrs. Mao, too) version of their Cultural Revolution.

   I have often wondered if this start is responsible for the developments we are currently witnessing in China. A booming capitalist economy, for one.

   Anyway, more power to your very commendable campaigns.

2. Sonnie October 16, 2006 at 9:51 AM

   

   Thank you Amadeo. It may be a long shot…

   Mao’s strategy could serve as a benchmark for those who wish to see change.

   As you said, that could be partly the reason why China has become a political and economic force to contend with.

   Best regards!

3. Mayet Valdez October 16, 2006 at 10:02 AM

   

   When I graduated from UP-Diliman, I was so full of ideals myself, and I promised myself, I’d get into public service or business and will never ever cheat or use power to get my own way.
   When my present employer, now chairman of the board of a private company, hired me for a job, he also believed in redeeming justice and righteousness in the dealings of business. It gave me so much hope and courage to feed my ideals. But when reality struck me, when I was already in business, I see the whole system around me, where business is moving around, that it is already as corrupted as it can ever be. And the fairer you fight, the more you lose in business. The customs for one makes it hard for us to import our products, and charges us incredulously for some documents that needed signing. The local gov’t units in provinces ask astronomical “discount” and/or commissions that basically would cut our income more than half than the ordinary. And so much more…
   And for a young executive like me, I feel so tempted to just dive along with the system, and learn the tricks of usual business..and possibly, earn or profit.
   But somehow, the idealism for righteousness and justice still prevail. And honestly, I hold on to a thin line of hope… that somehow, one coud bring up a business in this land, in this government, in this country, even if one sticks to his virtues and ideals.
   People like me need leaders.. need same-minded people who would direct our ways, and keep us up even if we feel like giving in into the warped system.
   Knowing there are people like me out there, young and “fighting” executives like me, make a lot of difference.. at least, it gives me a feeling that i am not alone in a battle we are all in.

4. Allan Sarabia October 16, 2006 at 10:17 AM

   

   I know of a Manager who was instructed by the CEO to cheat in favor of the company he worked for. After expressing his disagreement, he resigned and vacated his position! Indeed, you cannot eat integrity but your heart will carry the pride for as long as you live. The man is now struggling to survive … but hopes for a brighter tomorrow. God does not look at the person, He looks at what the person does …

5. amit October 16, 2006 at 3:56 PM

   

   Dear Allan,
   I fully agree with u.I have also seen in my last 25 years that many executives who are simply sitting idle and only following the dictats of their employers, are running their shows beautifully and on the other hand the honest professionls like the case of urs faces the problems.

6. MARGARET October 16, 2006 at 6:40 PM

   

   Well i do agree with you and personally i have been a victim of social injustice.I remember quiting my job in a certain Media station after been pressurized by a corrupt boss who wanted us to quit our jobs so that she could employ her people.
   I think the Godly morals which once governed our society are compromised such that most of the people we have today ;not only those holding managerial positions but even the juniors, no longer fear God but do what pleases them.They no longer have Godly patient but want to follow short cuts so as to climb the ladder of success even if it means bribing for it!
   May God have mercy on us.
   Regards.
   Maggie Ezbon.

7. pinoy October 17, 2006 at 10:36 AM

   

   there are many of us, those who want righteousness to prevail. unfortunately, there is not much avenue for us to come together, to know each other, to influence others. we all say let us change, let us be good. the problem is we don’t go beyond the rhetoric. the culture of cheating prevails for we have not seriously faced this issue head on. most of us simply do lip service or are content on being righteous in themselves instead of spreading righteousness to others.

   let us be good citizens. let us come together and become a force to reckon with. good citizens do not tolerate cheating. i don’t believe that we should start this campaign with the next generation. this simply gives us an excuse to continue doing our evil ways. let us start with ourselves, our circle of influence and the greater commitment of being part of a movement that will promote good citizenship to each and every Filipno.

8. Sonnie October 17, 2006 at 12:41 PM

   

   @ Mayet– the fact that we have executives like you who disliked the corruption is also an encouragement to me.

   @Alan– I once left a top post not because the organization is corrupt, but out of transparency I came out and disclosed that there were some ethical standards expected of me that I have not complied with. It was not an easy decision and I went thru some unpleasant situations. But I have come a long way from that. God respects people who can make (unpopular but right) decisions and help them back up. Soon your friend will be back on top.

   @ Amit– the game is not yet over. The good guys may have been down but not out.

   @ Margaret– though it is unpopular these days to live your principles, we have to if we want to have some decency and order in our society

   @ Pinoy– you are correct. We are not yet a force to contend with. Because most of the honest ones would rather leave the organization and/or remain silent. Only a few of us are noisy enough to be noticed And the risk that society will just ignore the noise maker or persecute them. People may thought it\’s not worth it. You are also correct that change should start from ourselves and our circle of influence. May God bless our efforts.

9. Ferdz October 17, 2006 at 3:00 PM

   

   Thank you very much on this wonderful blog. I’ve been browsing through your past post and FAQs and they are all worth reading. Especially in my time now where I’m in a state of “career chaos”.

   In relation to this post, there is another question here in terms of businesses and corporate world. Is cheating “legally” can be called cheating. I know a lot of CEOs or capitalist somehow are smart enough to know and hire lawyers just to get away with the regular process. Are they smart or just plain cheaters on this kind of fields?

   I myself do not advocate cheating just to get what you wanted, cause I know it will somehow backfire against you when the time comes.

10. Deb October 17, 2006 at 9:55 PM

    

    First off, congrats. Your blog has really evolved.

    It is a long hard road ahead of us who wished to change this culture of cheating, for it has taken also a lot of time for us to really catch on that slowly, we are being conditioned with acceptance of “relative” right and wrong. Nothing is clear cut anymore: no absolute evil, no absolute good… Whatever makes you happy…”Just do it” mentality. Cheating became desirable and acceptable because there are benefits gained. These benefits (wealth, fame, etc) would not matter if we are grounded to the Lord’s will.
    For us parents, it is our second chance to make a difference. Be a model of Christian uprightness to our kids. A small contribution, but our kids would be the first people to benefit from this.

11. demoralized October 18, 2006 at 3:33 PM

    

    i’ve been just thru a career chaos.it’s really an unfrogettable career experience . after 6 years of building my name and creating a niche in our company specifically in finance dep’t, i just woke up one morning that everything has turned different. i really had a hard time accepting the change (well, i wouldn’t call it cheating if the way our new boss righteously handled her job,people & entire group), which eventually pushed me to transfer to another department….which… apparently makes me questioned my own efficiency and effectivity in this new & different job exposures I have right now.

    what i am trying to arrive at, if it weren’t like the boss cheaters, i would still be in that dep’t and still enjoying the challenge of my work.

12. sisterinthought October 19, 2006 at 3:25 AM

    

    What an inspirational and touching blog. I suppose I will be considered a societal outcast because I will always stand for Godly principals and continue to uphold high standards in the workplace. Now having said that, I acknowledge I am not perfect, but I strive daily to fight the good fight of faith.

    Do not lose faith in the fact that there are people in position of power who stand for what is right. Yes there are many individuals who may choose to use unethical devises, but in the end they lose. We must count it all joy when we are faced with difficult and challenging moments because they are for a greater purpose. Each obstacle represents an opportunity for incredible change-a change that goes beyond our imagination and leads to freedom. Although being in the status quo is comfortable – it can lead to one’s demise. A weak man can never stand against a man with strong character- believe that! And do not be fooled by the illusions of the world for they are passing even as we speak.

    I am in the process of a career transition and I have learned a valuable lesson: The process of change initiated by God cultivates a man/woman into one with greater character and courage. A greater character results in self assurance/acknowledgement, power and an ability to drive effective change all for the glory of God. So please do not count your good works in vain for in due season you shall reap your just reward.

    May peace be onto you.

13. Sonnie October 20, 2006 at 8:58 PM

    

    @ Ferdz– thank you for the encouraging words. Likewise, you’ve opened a new dimension on the discussion. The “legalized” cheating where in what is right and wrong became relative to a situation. This mindset does not help us change.

    @ Deb– thank you. You are correct, we must start the revolution in the family. Setting standards that our kids will bring to the real world.

    @ demoralized– just relax, keep on being responsible and at the end, fairness will prevail

    @sisterinthought– in deed. The thought that we may be in an unpleasant situation because of our principles to transform us and change our character is good enough reason to hang on. Plus the fact that one day, the truth will prevail.

14. mystii October 23, 2006 at 11:04 AM

    

    set a good, strong example.

    then others will see you as a leader, when they see how happy you are that you live a life of integrity and soulfulness, as well as success.

    the key in that is not giving up before your success happens.

15. Sonnie October 24, 2006 at 2:10 PM

    

    Thanks Mystii— GOOD and STRONG example

16. Pesebre John October 24, 2006 at 2:38 PM

    

    I am not very keen in the length of posts here but I

    am quite adamant about me posting a lengthy message.

    Yet anyway I will do it here for the purpose of making inroads in ethical discussions. The following is my reflection on the issue of “bribery” as it relates to postmodernity and one Christian writer’s persuasion to deconstruct ethics.

    I am sorry for the length. I couldn’t help but
    participate. He he he.

    ======================
    Bribery
    by John Pesebre

    There seems to be a substantial unanimity in OT scholars to put bribery as “despicable” in the sight of YHWH. We can see this in Jehoshaphat’s charge to the newly appointed judges, “Now let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery” (2 Chron. 19:7). The epistemic foundation of
    this verse seems to be the character of God of the Bible. There is a tacit confrontation of the God of the Bible and the reality of men.

    We may also notice that the association of the verse with “injustice and partiality” is an association of crime and punishment. According to Beyse, “the transgression of bribery is found primarily in legal materials.” Scriptures indicate that this is a crime
    prohibited by God in the law of God (Ex. 23:8; Deut. 16:19). Hastings includes “bribery” in the Crimes and Punishment section.

    The Hebrew law condemns everything that would tend to impair the impartial administration of justice, particularly the giving and receiving of gifts or bribes, in order to pervert judgment (Exo 23:8).

    Allusions are frequent to the prevailing corruption of oriental judges and rulers. “And fire shall consume the tents of bribery” (Job 15:34; 1Sa 8:3; Psa 26:10; Isa 1:23; Isa 33:15; Eze 22:12).

    An inquiry may find a modest outcome in the ANE literature because “certain forms of bribery were common in legal and business transactions .” However, “other ANE
    documents indicate that bribery of judges to alter averdict was condemned.” “In the code set down by the Babylonian king Hammurabi, bribery was a punishable offense.”

    The narrative of the Bible seems to present the
    prohibition of “bribery” as normative both in the
    social life of the people and their laws.

    The problem arises in the distinction between a
    “bribe” and a “gift.” The problem of dxv seems to be that in two passages in proverbs it is ethically good:

    Proverbs 21:14 A gift given in secret soothes anger, and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.

    Proverbs 18:16 A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.

    Some paraphrased version interprets this as something very favorable,

    (Good News Bible) Do you want to meet an important person? Take a gift and it will be easy.

    (Contemporary English Version) A gift will get you in to see anyone.

    (The Message) A gift gets attention; it buys the
    attention of eminent people.

    It was in this seeming faltering idea that Bernard Adeney in his book Strange Virtues roots his argument:
    “a single perspective on bribery cannot be forced on the Bible, because different verses were written at different times for different contexts for different people.” The praxis “cannot be forced on the Bible”
    comes from a definite incongruity of biblical data.

    John Sanders has argued that in a case of seeming contradiction in the Bible, we should not put preference to the position that has more biblical support because the one with very less biblical citation is also an inspired word. Given Sander’s premise, Adeney’s proposal seems warranted.

    However, given the constant appeal of Adeney not to make quick judgments, he seems to do so here. It is not hard to determine that the “bribe” in Proverbs 18:16 and 21:14 is of a different semantic because of two reasons. First, the translation “bribe” in these
    passages is not “shochad” but “mattan”. Keil and Delitsch, argues using Hitzig, that
    that one mistakes the meaning of the proverb.

    The second reason is that even if we will use the English translation of the word “bribe” it is also dutiful to categorize it in Proverbs 18:16 and 21:14 of a different nuance. Like K & D’s use of Hetzig above, the bribe of the verse does not mean he wants to avail, circumvent or prevent justice but a simple “free space, a free path for himself . . . that he shows himself to be agreeable, pleasing where it avails.” The other nuance is to “persuade somebody
    with enticement: to give somebody money or some other incentive to do something, especially something illegal or dishonest.”

    It was very clear that Adeney was trying to
    deconstruct the meaning of “bribery.” He was trying to make the meaning of bribery unstable so that who will give its meaning may shift from the original intended meaning to the reader – in Adeney’s case, the cross-cultural missionary. Yet when we employ to Adeney his tingling impulse for textual analysis, we find that he was not really dutiful. He was not able
    to overcome the fact that the bribe-versus-gift
    problem is not ethical but semantics. His first duty as a postmodern is to do textual analysis first before jumping into ethics. When Derrida critiqued his teacher Foucault, he subjected Foucault’s History of Madness to a battery of questions relative to textual analysis.

    The irony of it all is that postmodernity’s advocate has become its violator. What I mean by this is that the deconstructionist has confined the word bribery to a limited meaning, that is, the act of transfer of good from one hand to another. This does not sound
    like a definition from a self- obsessed “overeducated” man.

    John Ricafrente Pesebre
    Academic Officer and Professor of Systematic Theology Conservative Baptist Seminary – Asia
    4/F Back to the Bible Building
    #135 West Ave., Quezon City
    (00632) 4156793; Fax (00632) 3719491
    My Cellphone number is 0906-3034243

17. beaquaygal October 24, 2006 at 2:41 PM

    

    Nothing we could do seem to be enough. The culture of cheating in our country is widespread and rampant, to say the least. From the least to the greatest, from the bottom and up…Cheating, lying, or whatever,
    are treated as something normal and necessary. If you go against it,
    they will laugh at you. And accuse you as “nagmamalinis”, “masama
    ugali”, “di marunong makisama”, “epokrito”. If you still go on your honest way, they will make your path very difficult for you, being the
    talangka-minded people they all are. they will ostracize you and pull
    you down, do everything in their power to deprive you of the benefits
    you rightfully own. Here where people get their way through fraud and lies, it is a challenge to be honest. It is costly to be honest. Cuz
    they will rob you and cheat you and get your money through different crafty things and cunning ways. People boast in how they make lamang over others, on the scams they make, on how they acquire things and
    wealth even if it means taking advantage of the disadvantaged.

    DO NOT BE WEARY IN DOING GOOD FOR WE WILL REAP A HARVEST IF WE DO NOT
    GIVE UP.

    There’s nothing left for us to do but to set an example. In the midst of this lying world, be true. And give glory to the God whom we claim
    to be ours. then they will see. Mamamangha sila. Ewan ko lang kung magiging honest sila also after nilang mamangha. Pweo malaking bagay na yun na may nakita silang honest. na kahit naghihirap na at pinahihirapan na, honest pa rin. I think thats the way.

    And also teach them. Tell them that God sees everything we do, be it seen by other people or hidden from all other people. Ans God will
    reward and punish us accorfing to the things we do, be it seen by people and more so weightily, those deeds not seen by other people.

    then, pray for them and for yourself.

    Our country is full of talents. But we are at the bottom of the list cuz i think primarily because of this culture of ours: cheating and lying and robbing, etcetcetc. no honor, no integrity, no virtue or anything like that. yet we are still confident, that there are worse people than the
    filipinos. and that within each filipino heart is a hunger and willingness to do good. they just need examples, perhaps.

18. saumitra yadav October 24, 2006 at 2:51 PM

    

    You know we have discussed earlier that the urge to get more & more is becoming very high nowdays. Nothing wrong about it but to get it through cheating & lies is wrong. But the utmost desire to get everything, & in the absence of no role modal avialable for teaching ethics & morale, cheating & fraud becomes important tool to achieve the goal. One thing is certain, The success which one achives via this route is never permanent & bound to collapse. the problem is in the process it effects the life of honest & sincere person badly. Take the example of multinational ENRON. what happened, the top bosses cheated the organisation & brought it to bankruptcy, in the process they enjoyed there life while the accounts & hrd department were sleeping. After making merry, even if court found them guilty & suppose they go to jail even then the life of those effected employees & shareholder will not changed who has lost every thing. Belive me in coming days the cheating & fraud will increase & so many honest lives will be affected. The only way to minimise it by keeping our eyes open & form support team of like minded people to fight it because mostly those who cheat & fraud are very powerfull & in strong positions & its not easy to fight them on lone basis.

19. ronito calunsod August 7, 2008 at 11:45 AM

    

    the verses you cited empowered me… if only this piece can be read by cheaters and corrupt people…

    more power to you!

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