individuals are honest only to the extent that suits them (including their desire to please others)

Honesty is a complex and tricky thing, and we don't want to be honest all the time.

It is helpful to think of people as having two fundamental motivations: the desire to see ourselves as honest, good people, and the desire to gain the benefits that come from cheating - on our taxes or on the football field.

Ownership is not limited to material things. It can also apply to points of view. Once we take ownership of an idea — whether it’s about politics or sports — what do we do? We love it perhaps more than we should. We prize it more than it is worth. And most frequently, we have trouble letting go of it because we can’t stand the idea of its loss. What are we left with then? An ideology — rigid and unyielding.

The more cashless our society becomes, the more our moral compass slips.

The experiments show quite clearly that, as you resist more and more temptation, you're actually more and more likely to fail.