WWCOJD--Shady Writing Job (Page 2)

D001 - 2009-04-24 12:28 AM

wurkit_gurl - 2009-04-23 10:02 PM ... It'd be one thing if you were taking students' papers and editing them, etc,....

Hm, this ^^^ got me thinking.... Is there a college (2 yr or 4 yr) nearby? You have a bachelor's degree in biochem, right? (Or something like that, if I recall correctly?) Maybe you could teach labs. Is there a community college nearby that's looking for part-time adjuncts? Or what about tutoring high school or college students? (You could have the kids come to your home, or set up the meeting at nearby, as in biking/walking distance.) OK. That's it. I'm out of ideas for now.

I had a friend who did test scoring and such out of her home - through some online company. You could always tutor kids/young folks for the PSATs/SATs/GREs (can be done out of your home, I think, depending on the company you go through). I think there may be some options out there. Or even under-the-table/Craigslist offer to proof/edit college kids' papers with the caveat that the paper MUST be at least 75% complete, or something like that, so that they CANNOT expect you to write it for them.

I know that writing papers for college kids isn't illegal and that yes, the kids are at fault, not the company who provides them. But it's the principle of the thing - helping students to break the Honor Code of their school (which could get them expelled) would really bother me. But I also said that desperate times call for (legal) desperate measures. So if this is the only option, then go with it for now.

It's not any different.  In fact, it may be less grave than stealing bread when you're hungry.

You have a legitimate responsibility to take care of your basic needs.  If you already had your needs met, and took this job to make extra money for luxuries, that would be different.

Think through the moral gravity of the act in question.  It's fraudulent for a student to submit a paper that they did not write.  You are not doing anything fraudulent in and of itself, but you are contributing to the fraud being able to occur.  In moral equations, there are two forms of cooperation with evil to keep in mind, one is formal cooperation and the other is material cooperation.  Let's say the government is doing an act, call it X, that is objectively morally grave and evil.  Those doing the act are formally cooperating with evil, however someone paying their taxes that makes doing the act possible are only materially cooperating with evil.  Given one's responsibility to pay taxes and follow the law, in most cases this leaves them without culpability regarding the evil act even though they are materially cooperating with it.

So is writing for this company formal or material cooperation with evil?  I don't know.  Search your conscience on that one.  However, even if it is formal cooperation, that needs to get weighed against your legitimate need for food and shelter.  And in judging this, you need to consider the weight of the morally grave act being committed, in this case submitting a fraudulent paper to a teacher.

So I don't know the answer to your question, but these are things I would think about in making a decision for myself.

Wow I struggle with this one but in the end I really don't think there is anything wrong with what you would be doing.   You would be writing a paper to the best of your ability, if some lazy kid or parent wants to use to their advantage, that's their problem, not yours.  We all can't be Mother Theresa, then again I believe she struggled with her faith and purpose many times.   This isn't life and death, but a basic need being met!   Any body here work for the liquor industry?   Do you worry that there are millions of alcoholics abusing your product?    When my dad was off getting drunk, I didn't blame Budweiser (it was more like Old Milwaukee, but you get my point!)   Take the job, Yanti!   Feed your dogs, get some new pedals, buy yourself something nice, because all you would be doing, in my opinion, is working!  My 2 cents!

Keep your roof, heat, and food in place via the 'convenient' work...it'll be original writing for you.

As soon as you're able to move one, do that...and good luck!

For sure your stomach. The dilema is no different than taking a job at a tobacco company or firearm company. You know how the products should be used, however you also know they are used wrong (underage smoking, murder (opposed to defense)).

However like others said if you just think it feels bad skip it, there are always other opportunities out there.

From the thread title I thought you were considering writing some tacky/steamy forum letter stuff.....wait, is BT considering putting you on payroll and did they create a new forum for that? 

Get paid to review adult websites (Hollywood)

This is the answer.  

I hope you find work that makes you proud soon.  Good luck.

I would take the job. It is easy for you to do, pays apparently decent enough money, and you can very easily look for other options and go to interviews while doing it. It's not a career, it just temporarily pays for those crazy extras like dog food, somewhere to sleep and poptarts skim milk and veggies. At least you won't be freaking out about the $$ so much.

Besides, if some idiot student is so incredibly stoopid as to wholesale plagiarize things you've written, then they'll likely get the boot out of college and a more deserving person can take their place. Think of it as a public service. Also, you're also keeping Turnitin in business. They have employees too you know.

My husband once took a job that was sucky, and went for three days, then got an interesting and better offer. There'll be other things, maybe sooner than you think.

Best of luck whatever you decide.