The M.T.A. in New York has found that almost 22 percent of riders, more than a fifth of all bus riders in the city, board the buses without paying the fare. The cheaters cost the city $225 million in lost revenue last year.
When people obey the law only when they think they will be punished, civil society breaks down. When 1/5 of the bus riders cheat the system, that means more than lost fares. It means that people no longer feel any obligation to their fellow citizens. They evidently feel no shame. If you think that this is a minor problem, think again. It indicates a decline of civic virtue, and it is indicative of far deeper problems.
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