The only way to achieve American prosperity is to look out for No. 1 and squash your competition.
At least, that’s what Jeff Kreisler suggests in his satirical book “Get Rich Cheating: The Crooked Path to Easy Street.”
From drug company kickbacks, to CEOs receiving post-scandal bonuses, Kreisler says everyone does it, so why shouldn’t you?
Kreisler will offer advice about his methods to rising to the top at the expense of others tonight in Cambridge.
Although he takes a comedic jab at how America is built on cheaters and liars in positions of power and wealth, the research and data are real, he said.
“People lose sight of our community and social responsibility. It becomes every man for himself rather than rising tides lift all boats,” Kreisler said. “I discuss these topics, then add a d— joke.”
As part of the “Colbert Report”-style discussion, Kreisler will interview a panel of experts, including Harvard Business Professor Michael Norton.
“Rationalization, justification — we have all sorts of words for it, which speaks to how common [cheating] really is,” Norton said.
Norton suggests people often convince themselves that cheating is warranted.
Follow Steve Annear on Twitter @steveannear
