Nowadays people are troubled with mass of dishonest behaviors in society. Teachers get annoyed when they catch students cheating on exams; consumers get hurt when they unfortunately buy some fake products; children are misled when they see their parents tell lies so as to evade the responsibility they should take.

Why do people cheat? The main reason probably lies in immediate interest they may obtain by cheating. For example, a company, which manufactures fake products, may seem to win for a moment because it can minimize its manufacture cost by doing so. This kind of businesses, however, will be driven out of the market in the long run. For the consumers after getting to know the poor quality of the products will not buy them anymore.

The same is true of individuals. Dishonest people dare not take on the responsibility of life. They cheat in class, in office, at home and so on. But the truth can hardly be masked. The moment the truth comes out they will lose their credibility, which is easier to destroy than to rebuild. Consequently, these dishonest will suffer a long time because of their cheating behaviors. In conclusion, no one can afford to be dishonest in a civilized society.

Honesty is the pillar of a society. People will benefit from being honest in the long run. That"s why we say it pays to be honest.