I tend to be a bit cynical about the state of the world and the future of this country, but consider the following two scenarios:

I make a living preparing students for their future lives, trying to get them ready intellectually for college as well as instilling in them both a work ethic and a sense of values. I have taught between 2,500 and 3,000 students in my years as a teacher, and while I have surely not succeeded fully with all of them, I expect that I have made an impact in the lives of at least several hundreds of them.

Rafael Palmiero makes a living cheating by using steroids to make himself a better athlete. He earns an annual salary more than 100 times my annual salary and lives a lifestyle I could only dream about. He is admired by millions of people for his ability to hit a baseball well.

Here’s the important part: the revelation that Rafael Palmiero has been cheating for at least several years will have no impact on his lifestyle or salary, and probably only a minimal impact on his reputation among the general public.

Is something seriously wrong here?