“Are you a 6 bolt person or a 3 bolt person?” This is the question that Mr. Reed, my freshman English teacher, asked my class. He went on to explain that a 6 bolt person is someone who does something completely whether or not anyone notices. Whereas a 3 bolt person is someone who does only what is necessary.
According to Mr. Reed, this phenomenon was first noticed when the U.S. began relying more and more on assembly lines, particularly for cars. Assembly line workers were required to put 6 bolts on a car wheel but it only really needed 3. The extra 3 bolts were included as an additional safety precaution. 
Once some workers realized this, they began only installing 4 or 5 bolts because the other 1 or 2 bolts “didn’t really matter.” Most of the time, no one ever noticed that all 6 bolts were not installed. But after awhile, the workers figured that they would save even more time by only installing 3or 4 bolts and then 2 or 3 bolts. As they continued to cut corners, customers started to notice that the quality of the product had decreased and they lost their faith in it. As a result, customers began to flock to other car manufacturers who were perceived as having higher standards.
When Mr. Reed first shared this story with my class, it really resonated with me and it continues to resonate. I strive to be a 6 bolt person; someone who does what is right whether it is noticed or not. It has been my experience that someone will notice when I least expect it. Therefore, it is better for me to be caught “doing the right thing” rather than have to scramble to figure out what the right thing might be.
Mary Kate
