Letter: Widespread dishonesty has implications

In the medical field there is a concept called herd immunity. The idea is that if a certain high percentage of a population is immunized against a certain disease the possibility of the spread of that disease is very low. However, as the percentage of immunized people is diminished the possibility of contagion greatly increases. Could the same principal be applied to certain human behaviors? Suppose that in a given population most individuals are protected by having a moral compass, but a certain growing number of individuals lack this moral compass and have a propensity toward dishonesty. Could a plague of dishonesty spread to large numbers of susceptible people and cause an alarming outbreak of this disorder?

Consider some of the implications of widespread dishonesty. We would not be able to trust much of what we are told in newscasts. Everything would have to be kept under lock and key. Any deal sealed with a handshake would be worthless. Some people would feel that they are not doing things right unless they are cheating. Is this the outline for a nightmare in the future or is it about where we are right now?

Robert J. Boes

Ely