Why do we try to game the system?
Are we really being “smarter”?
Let’s face it, it is a common human practice to try to “cheat the system” or find shortcuts to producing more while using the least amount of effort possible. It is debatable whether this is a sign of intelligence or a tangible display of human evil, but it is a fact that this instinct to try to be “smarter than the rest” is a common occurrence for human beings, perhaps as old as time itself. It is worth asking, are we really being smarter than others or are we just ruining something good because of our selfishness?
Harder, Faster, Better, Stronger…
In the old days, it was enough for dedicated athletes to practice the sport of their choice, to become professionals in their field with time and dedication. But little by little, the demands were increasing and records were breaking, making each day more difficult to overcome the old records. Therefore, today it is common practice to see in newspapers or hear on the news about athletes who were caught ingesting prohibited substances, to improve their records. The human body has limits, and even with the use of prohibited substances, there are things that human nature simply makes difficult to achieve. How will all this end?
“I had no choice”
It is true that need is a common excuse. Many people, when taking actions that are unethical for the majority, excuse themselves by saying things like “Life left me no other option.” It is true, sometimes life presents us with hard and unexpected tests, which leave us without knowing how to react to them. But is that a valid excuse to do, in case of need, literally the worst thing that comes to mind? If everybody thought this same way, it would be interesting to see what could happen if two people had the same kind of need and had no qualms about doing unethical acts between them. Would they end up killing or hurting each other? If no one in the world had some kind of brake before wanting to take unethical actions, it is easy to see that the world could turn (even more) into a violent jungle. We all have needs, but each of us decides how we satisfy them.
“I need it”
It is likely that more than once you have been tempted to run some type of bot, to earn more money online. And no one could blame you. After all, we all want our content to be seen by the largest number of people. But it’s worth stopping to think that by taking such actions we harm other content creators, and sometimes the same companies that pay content creators.
Wait… How?
That’s how it is. By receiving false interactions, the sponsors of the websites are affected, which generates fewer payments, or sometimes, suspension of the same to the content creators. Yes, we all want to earn more, but let’s try to do it by generating content that is interesting and engaging for the audience. It seems difficult, but it is not so much.
“I am Smarter Than Them”
Surely you think that you are being smarter than others when using bots or any kind of trick. But that is relative. Intelligence is not just about being cunning enough to scam others. It also refers to having the ability to be able to do more with the resources at hand. Yes, it can be fun, playing with tools that belong to the “dark side of life”, but it is important to remember that all tricks end up being discovered. Instead of trying to fool others, why don’t you use your intelligence to try to make your life and that of others better?
