honesty is the best policy

I was shocked to read in a newspaper, recently, that many youngsters see nothing particularly wrong in shoplifting; fiddling Social Security; attacks on property; taking a car for a joyride; insulting or bothering strangers; prostitution and smoking cannabis. This made me really think. Is honesty the best policy? Why? Just what good does it do to be an honest and upright citizen? When you read reports of the number of people in positions of trust who use that very trust to enrich themselves, what does it say to the youngsters? "Don't get caught" is all. No one knows how much crime of a large scale goes undetected ­ so why not try it on a small scale? Just how many people fiddle their Income Tax, Social Security, their own firms? Where do you draw the line? Is it the size of an operation that makes it illegal? You know: a pen brought home from the office, a private call on the Firm's phone in the Firm's time, photocopying using the Firm's paper and machine ­ are these acceptable becau...