What is trust worth? A poll by the General Social Survey
indicates that about 1/3 of Americans trust each other. This is a big step
downward from a 1972 survey that indicated that about ½ of Americans trust each
other. Around 2/3rds say that “you can’t be too careful” dealing with others. Trust is trending downward and this should
concern a number of people.
Trust can bring some wonderful things in society. The entire
economic system and social structure depends on trust. Trust that if you work
hard you will receive a reward, trust that people will treat you fairly, and
trust that you can walk down the street without injury. Trust is the glue that
binds all of society into one neat socio-economic package.
It is hard for people to determine what leads to more or
less trust. We can say that its base is a whole host of reasons that may
include opportunity, systematic justice, culture, interpersonal relationships,
family life or even world events. It is a culmination of these factors that
helps create a perspective of life and others.
For businesses the concept that 67% of people put little
faith in those who swipe their cards should be concerning. Thinking about how
trust is necessary in commerce it should become apparent that those businesses
that do not maintain a high level of integrity can be easily punished in the
market. Let a card theft go viral and
see what happens.
For politicians it is even worse. A total of 81% say they put trust in their
national political leaders some of the time and 15% most of the time. If you
are a leader, this should concern you a little. Just like trust is the foundation of
an economy, it is also the foundation of governance. Policies must meet the
needs of the people and the betterment of America’s future without any outside
or political considerations.
When I think of trust, I like to look at those societal projects
that took generations to build. The people who worked on them had generational
trust and cross-tribal trust. Stonehenge started in 2,700 BC and seemed to have
developed over a thousand years. Even though its background is hazy and in
dispute, historians do believe that many different tribes of people were involved
in the whole process as a potential peace and unity initiative. If nothing
else, each generation should trust that the generation before them has interest
in their betterment.
Other Readings:
ABC
USA Today
CS Monitor
Other Readings:
ABC
USA Today
CS Monitor
