Etymologically,theword“credential”derivesfrom“credit”andisrelatedtothemoralattributeofcredibility.Anacademiccredentialreflectsastudent’sacademicknowledgeandexpertise,withwhichhebecomesqualifiedforperformingcertainprofessionalresponsibilitiesatcertainprofessionalpositions.Academiccredentialsshouldn’tbefalsifiedbecausefalsecredentialsaredangerous.Forexample,amedicalgraduatewithfalsecredentialscankillhispatientsratherthanrescuingthem.
Currently,fabricatingacademiccredentialsisparticularlyrampantinChina,whereallrecruitmentsseemtoinvolvecredentials.Inordertosecurethejobtheywant,somejobseekerswithouttherequiredcredentialshavenoalternativebuttohavethemfabricatedbyprofessionalforgers.Whilecondemningusersoffakecredentialsonbothlegalandmoralgrounds,wesomehowtendtosympathizewiththemastheyarevictimizedbyasocietyaddictedtothecredentialmania.
Amoredespicableformofcredentialfabricationisperpetratedbythosealreadyhighlysuccessfulpeople—businessmen,entrepreneurs,governmentofficials,celebritiesintheentertainmentindustry,etc.Theyusefalsecredentialsnotsomuchtoadvancetheircareersastoprojecttheirpersonalimageasanicon.Thisisagreaterevilbecausethosefabricatorscontrive,throughfraudulence,tosecureouradmirationandrespectonthespirituallevel.AmostnotoriouscaseisthescandalofTxxJxx,whopretendstobearolemodelforinnocentChineseyouth,withfalsePh.D.credentialfromanon-existentAmericanuniversity.
Tosolvethisproblem,acombinationofmeasuresisnecessary.Weshouldevaluateapersonbyhistruecaliber,notsolelybyhiscredentials.Legally,weshouldcrackdownonboththesellerandthebuyeroffalsecredentials.Finally,weshouldkeepexposinganddenouncingfabricatorssotheycannolongerfoolus.Inthisway,oursocietywillbecomepurifiedandcredibilitywillultimatelyprevail.
