Fer sure, RB - once you create ridiculous laws, you create more incentive to cheat, people learn there's no penalty if they're careful (usually) and so are enabled/encouraged to cheat more on other things. Even more so than from just basic human nature - which is a lot of what all religions teach (deity or not) - most all valid religions share the basic idea that we start out pretty messed up and need guidance.
Note there's an epidemic of cheating in schools, even or especially at college level. There's often a penalty for that at some point - you didn't learn - but they find out too late and simply become embittered repeat cheaters. I don't think colleges created this - it happened a lot earlier in life.
While I consider Atheists vain - you can't really prove a negative, and it's therefore just another religion anyway - belief in something you can't prove, I realize that's my own opinion, but it is one based on quite a lot of experience.
I share DoChen's experiences in my circles, mostly. I know a few people in this situation, one very talented - he was cameraman for CBS in Houston, later news desk editor - but no one does real news anymore, he's not the right age to go galavanting about in helicopters any more, and can't stand working at the Jiffy Lube (he's also a car guy).
On the other hand? I'm seeing a lot of old people in menial jobs, and it almost seems like, the older the better - they are otherwise "retired" but find they still need money or just want to work, they are reliable, and happily hired at all the fast food joints, for example.
But finding a pro job in your '50's? Google thought I was too old - and overqualified, they didn't want an ex-CEO running around assuming spurious authority. Couldn't get a job as a computer repair guy either - too qualified, they were afraid I'd jump ship at the first opportunity - and they were probably right. Lowes, same deal - manager looks me over and just knows I'll have his job - and maybe the store manager's after that - in a few months. No dice, get outa here.
So it's not just the pro jobs, it's jobs period, in what I've observed. The real economy sucks...and if you've been out of work awhile, most employers assume you were one of the less desirables that got laid off first in the crash, because that's how they roll themselves - you don't lay off the best, right?