INTERNET GRANDFATHER®

Trust (again)

                                    I've always loved reading magazines. I remember waiting for my favorite magazines to arrive when I was a child. Colliers, Saturday Evening Post, Life, Look- I loved reading those magazines and I miss them now that they're gone. But I continue to love reading magazines; I may look more to golf and music magazines nowadays, but I still love reading them. Because of various distractions, I often find myself way behind in my reading of magazines. Except for the clutter caused by keeping the old magazines around for years, I enjoy reading the old magazines as much as the new. In fact, I learn something by reading the old magazines. With the benefit of hindsight, I see which magazine writers were correct in their reporting and analysis and predictions.

                                             The other day I was reading an old issue of The (English) Spectator and found an article that reminded me of my concern about trust. When I've written about trust before (here and here), I was more concerned about personal trust.  The Spectator article concerned institutional trust. It speaks of the growing mistrust of professionals, politicians and representatives of other institutions and the effects of that mistrust. It makes two important points: One is that strict rules designed to eliminate the need for trust eliminate the need for good behavior. Those affected simply check boxes rather than improve their behavior. Those who are not trusted become less trustworthy. Another is that is the foundation of courtesy is trust. It's difficult if not impossible to respect someone we don't trust; we tend not to be courteous to those we don't respect. As one who believes in courtesy, this is another important reason for me to look for trust.

                                             The conclusion, however, is still the same. We must trust in order to be trusted. We must respect in order to be respected. And, by the way, we need to trust in order to function. If we try to live in mistrust, constantly looking over our shoulders, constantly suspicious of others and their motives, constantly in fear of institutions and individuals, our lives will be stunted and withdrawn. Naturally, there are those who are unworthy of our trust. We'll find out soon enough and can adjust our behavior accordingly. Except for those, let's trust and be trusted.

9-29-08