Gen Z Things
Cheating Explained
The consequence of valuing end results over hard work.
We are growing up in a capitalist society that allows for many great things; we get to choose from an array of career paths, and individuality, for the most part, is encouraged. However, there are also many consequences of growing up in our society.
Instead of valuing decorum, capitalism values profit. A person is not valued by their morals, but by their achievements; highest grades, a new raise, or becoming CEO. The method by which these are achieved are rarely ever of relevance after the fact.
This creates an environment where people are not valued for their hard work or remarkable work ethic, but instead for the outcome of their labor. People are therefore more likely to go about their lives doing as little work as possible while striving for the greatest outcome. This means things like cheating on exams; the hours put into studying are not of any consequence, it is the final outcome that students are recognized for.
Having final grades that don’t necessarily reflect the entirety of the efforts made, from hours of trying to memorize keywords, or writing and rewriting essays in the hopes of reaching a better final product, is not only discouraging but dissatisfying.
Discouragement comes from the divide between efforts and results. Dissatisfaction comes from finding a much simpler way to go about succeeding at a much higher rate, like through cheating.
Cheating is only one of the ways through which capitalism’s skewed priorities manifests itself. We live in a paradox: education is viewed as necessary for any kind of successful life. However, a person’s GPA does not reflect how hardworking or dedicated they are.
Choose to value your work ethic and perseverance. Choose to value your optimism and kindness toward others. Choose to value people for their intellect and the new perspective that they bring to conversations. Choose to value your positive outlook and sense of humor. Have empathy toward others. Choose to value who you are and not what capitalism tells you that you should be.
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Stop Wishing, Start Doing
Only you have the power to make the life that you want for yourself.
Being confident in your abilities and kind to yourself is, believe it or not, only half of the story. You could be the most talented at your craft, but if you don’t actively and relentlessly pursue what you want, then you’ll never get it.
Just like we’re sometimes unkind to ourselves, we’re also guilty of holding ourselves back from accomplishing our goals. My theory is that if you want it badly enough, you’ll go after it. If you never build up the courage, make the time, or put in the effort, then you weren’t really as interested as you thought you were.
I am also guilty, as I believe we all are, of spending a little bit too much time just hanging out on my social medias or watching a new show. As important as it is to take time for yourself, it’s also important to do the work that warrants break time. It’s often not the case that we really do not have the time to accomplish something, we just manage our time poorly.
You’ll always be able to find a million excuses not to do something, to delay or give up on it altogether. You’ll only ever be able to find a few reasons to pursue your goals and be unfailingly determined. I think that part of being kind to yourself is knowing when to get your butt in gear, and go after what you want.
Only you have the power to make the life that you want for yourself. Don’t count on anyone else to feel fulfilled. Whether it’s buying and moving into your first house, travelling across the country, or starting your own podcast, it’s up to you to make the plans and go after it.
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“Show Me a Picture” Culture
“Seeing a picture won’t tell you anything worthwhile about a person, it’ll just impede you from making a lasting connection.”
I’ve noticed that every time one of my friends is seeing someone new, somebody, or everybody all at once, will immediately ask to see a picture of said new person. I’m also interested to see who’s got my friend’s attention – but why? Whether we care to admit it or not, it’s because we want to make a judgement; is this person attractive? Can we see our friend and this person looking cute together in pictures? Does their style put us off, or make us think that they’re the coolest person we’ve ever seen?
Here’s the thing, though… Your input on their image is unnecessary. It doesn’t matter what you think of this person’s picture. You could absolutely, positively hate their style. You could think that they’re the most unattractive person to have walked the earth. You could make faces and question why your friend is even interested in the first place.
I believed we’ve all played both roles in this situation, and as the friend aren’t you more likely to write off any connection with this person because of your friends’ disapproval? The same can be said for the opposite scenario; if your friends hype this person up, you’re far more likely to dream and drool about it.
But really, none of that matters. Not even a little bit. The script is old and needs updating. Some new questions we should ask are, “What about them do you like? How do they make you feel?” Because judging someone by a picture won’t get you very far. Someone could be insanely attractive – but also insanely rude, the opposite being true as well.
And your opinion of this person’s image is beside the point since you’re not going to potentially date them, your friend is. So, in order to avoid the dissuasion or hype altogether and help your friend make a better decision, try asking about this new person’s qualities. Seeing a picture won’t tell you anything worthwhile about a person, it’ll just impede you from making a lasting connection.
