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Essay / Analysis of an article on the deceptive behavior of students
Cheating yourself Although some believe that cheating in sports and in studies can help one advance and avoid confrontation, it also leads to dishonor and prevents you from really succeeding. Cheating was once considered an unspeakable sin. However, nowadays it has become more common and a somewhat daily occurrence. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay For athletes, winning is the goal and many will do whatever it takes to win, even if it means playing unfairly. It's comforting to believe that cheaters never win and winners never cheat. People love the thrill of competition and strategy, which makes sports fun to watch. Fans will create a “mental connection” with their teams and go so far as to say that when you become a fan of a team, you actually become part of a family. By doing so, it gives athletes the motivation to give their fans something to talk about and they will go out of their way to ensure that their “fan family” is proud and continues to support them. “Cheating is as old as sports themselves” (Pugmire). Team members will play unfairly to “advance”. From scoring a big win in professional leagues to cheating in high school and college sports to get to the top. These participants ignore ethical and moral values in order to achieve their goal. As Lance Pugmire states in his article “Cheating in Sports: Exceptions to the Rules,” “If you're not cheating, you're not trying to win.” They are willing to cheat to ensure success, either by using performance-enhancing drugs, faking injuries, or harming others. The importance of winning in sports today has led to countless methods of unethical behavior. At first, these unfair tactics may seem to bring positive results, such as fame and financial incentives; however, in the end, they often bring dishonor. Looking at professional sports today, many would not believe the percentage of athletes who cheat. There is so much money at stake in the major leagues that the temptation to “game” the system or cheat is particularly strong. In professional sports, team members focus on winning and how many people can cheer for them instead of thinking that you truly win when you give your best and play fairly. It turns out that these tactics ultimately lead to negative results. "If you want to take advantage of the rules, you have to be smart," Fisher said, "too many people who have cheated haven't been smart. That's where you have problems" (Pugmire). Cheating is dishonorable whether the athlete gets caught or not. Pugmire says professionals are supposed to be role models for today's society, even if they are "powerfully motivated for the wrong reasons." In high school, sports are supposed to build character and instill the values of success, teamwork and sportsmanship (Pugmire). Pugmire's statistics show that 65% of athletes admit to cheating throughout high school. Not only do professional athletes cheat, but players on high school and college teams do too. “The world of sports has produced a never-ending parade of shameful athletes who cheat their way to success” (Schaller). Players feel like they have to do what it takes to win and advance to the next level, whether it'scontinue in college or professional leagues. “Athletes are not the only ones to blame,” concludes Josephson's report, based on interviews across the country with 5,275 high school athletes, “too many coaches are teaching our children to cheat and take shortcuts" (Pugmire). There is a growing acceptance of cheating to gain competitive advantages. Even though cheating seems to give a young athlete a leg up, the player never really wins. Values must be promoted before success. There can be two winning teams on the same night, no matter what the scoreboard reads. Sports may promote winning, but true dignity and success come through honesty. Academic dishonesty for the sake of advancement has been documented in almost every type of educational setting, from elementary school to graduate school. Cheating on exams, homework, homework, etc. has become commonplace in schools. “Educators try to teach students not to cheat, but many students still feel the need to be dishonest” (Rettinger 294). “This dishonesty is pervasive in the higher education environment due to several potential factors, including pressure to excel, peer perception, and lack of enforcement by professors” (Hendricks 68). Current research shows that the number of students who admit to cheating academically increases over time. When students are academically dishonest, they find an easier way to complete their assignments. These acts become fundamentally destructive in the process of the student mastering a subject. Many students cheat during high school to help them get ahead, when in reality, they are cheating themselves by not really learning the information they need to know. Many wonder if students cheat because they are lazy or because they are given too much work. Sometimes students get overwhelmed with the rest of their lives and it becomes difficult to find time to get good grades. “In academics, the pressure to excel in every course is paramount” (Hendricks 68). Teachers will set the bar high to ensure students benefit from their education. Students want to succeed in high school so they can get into the college of their choice and sometimes do everything they can to achieve that goal, which puts students under pressure. At school, we feel a whole range of academic pressures, the need for perfection, worry about grades, parental pressure, competition, sports or a difficult course. Schools are primarily based on student achievement, and those grades determine the future. High school is where the pressure to excel and be better than others begins. "After constant reminders that cheating is not acceptable, delinquent behavior should decrease during the college years; unfortunately, it is actually quite widespread" (Hendricks 68). This pressure to perform well is a source of stress for many students and colleagues. Choosing positive, supportive friends to help relieve stress can help maintain an enjoyable lifestyle or can become the cause of stress. Students' attitudes toward academic cheating may be influenced by simply witnessing a peer's dishonest behavior; however, few realize the dishonor that can result. Cheating has become the result of social values rather than moral values (69). Some peers perceive cheating as accepted behavior. When students see other people committing..