In the fast-evolving world of 21st century, competition is the name of the game. Winning means everything. As soon as we are born, it seems, the intense competition for everything and anything under the sun begins. Take the budding siblings, for instance, who spare no effort to gain possession of the remote control to watch their favourite programme. Or the classmates who move heaven and earth to stay ahead of the pack. And, of course, colleagues at work who leave no stone unturned for perk and promotion at your cost.

Yet seldom is any kind of competition fair. Most often, the rivalry is rigged by one of the competitors to stand a better chance of winning. W C Fields once said: “A thing worth having is a thing worth cheating for.” Sad to say, people seem to have taken to this aphorism to heart.

Nepotism and favouitism are rife in all sectors. Those with a wide network of contacts bag the coveted position. The newbies are sidelines. No apologies. What about those all-too-loyal employees who invite the boss over for dinner (often, with an added lure of ‘dough’)? Or, for that matter, the students blithely copying from books, scribbling notes and engaging

in all kinds of foul play during exams to get a leg up on their peers?

History too is replete with examples of cheats literally turning the tide by resorting to rather shady means. If cheating were not so popular, our history would hardly be what it is today.

During the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna crafted a flawless ploy to kill the seemingly invincible Duryodhan. Similarly, the Greek coalition defeated the spunky Trojans with pure cunning. During the World War II, Nazi Germany initially allied with the Soviets, only to stab the Reds in the back at the first opportune moment.

Like it or not, cheating has become an indispensable part of our lives. Knowingly or unknowingly, we all cheat, not just once but time and again. According to Darwinists, only the fittest survive in the infernal struggle for existence. Isn’t it implicit in this claim that those who have the wherewithal and cunning to cheat and rig the competition in their favour not only survive but win most of the time? So much for a fair world, then.