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opinion
Lie
and cheat to the top: It’s the American way
As I am preparing to finish up my college career and enter
the real world, I realize that I probably will never become
a millionaire.
The sad truth is I am just too honest.
I took stock of the wealthiest people and companies in the
world and came to the conclusion that they all had some kind
of shady deal that got them into a lot of money.
This terrifying thought is becoming more and more evident
each day. It started last summer when Enron came under scrutiny
for defrauding investors by covering corporate losses with
shifty accounting tactics. Enron was one of the largest companies
in the country and when it went bankrupt last December, millions
of people across America lost thousands of dollars. And all
the while, Enron executives continued to get rich off of their
shady dealings.
This fleece has drawn other companies into the limelight also.
Home-living guru Martha Stewart has been accused of insider
trading. Stewart has built an economic empire from do-it-yourself
home fashion tips. But apparently the Securities and Exchange
Commission thought she took a few too many tips.
If it were proven true that Stewart participated in insider
trading, it would be a violation of federal law. Ethical?
No. But Stewart is one of the richest women in the world.
Adelphia Cable has also admitted to fraudulently hiding company
losses and as a result, cost many people a sense of job security
they had been counting on.
Xerox announced last month that it had misled investors by
overstating earnings in the past. Microsoft founder Bill Gates
was found guilty of creating a monopoly in the computer software
industry. The list goes on and on.
All these things call into question the ethics of those who
run these companies. It goes to show Americans that the more
we lie, cheat and mislead one another, the more money we can
make.
I am optimistic for my future. I have a great earning potential
ahead of me. But unless I get on the shady side of business,
I will never be a millionaire living on my own private island.
But that is OK because at least I have my dignity and integrity.
Ken Hanson is a journalism graduate at Cal State Long Beach.
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