Bribery may seem like a quick solution to problems, but it often carries consequences that ripple far beyond the individual involved. One person’s bribe is, in fact, another person’s or nature’s misery. An example of this is the story of a small town that faced severe water shortages due to corruption.

In a town, a construction company wanted to build a luxury resort near a beautiful river, which was the town’s main water source. The company needed approval from local government officials to access and divert the water, but there was one problem: the river was already struggling with water levels, and diverting it could lead to a devastating shortage for the town. However, the company’s executives knew they could secure the approval they needed through a bribe.

A local official, enticed by a large sum of money, agreed to look the other way and granted the necessary permissions. The luxury resort was built, and the company began diverting water, leaving the town with dwindling resources. Farmers struggled to irrigate their crops, children couldn’t attend school due to lack of water for sanitation, and the once-thriving community began to fall apart.

The company’s temporary gain—access to the river and profit from the resort—came at a tremendous cost. The people who had relied on the river for survival now faced drought-like conditions. The bribe that was meant to enrich one person led to the misery of an entire town and the destruction of a vital natural resource.

This story illustrates how one person’s decision to accept a bribe can lead to lasting harm. Whether it’s a community losing access to essential resources or nature suffering from environmental degradation, the price of corruption is much higher than it may seem at first. One person’s bribe is indeed another’s misery.