Rarely we see good news. It looks like news organizations, big and small, have found that only bad news sells. If you want to make money in the news business you need to convey bad, horrible news. The worst the better. So no wonder that today people, after years of this model, feel overwhelm and think that they can trust nobody.
Business, capitalism in particular was build on trust. People would make transactions based on a hand-shake or a simple document. I have seen (was back when I lived in Mexico) the transfer of a property written on the back of a wall calendar! Those were the days when polls had 60% or more of people trusting other people. I remember when in the times of videocassettes, Blockbusters will rent videos trusting customers to return them without the need to check the return, you would just slide it through an opening into some box. My library, as many others, allows you to return your books in the same way. This is because there is a basic understanding that we are borrowing/renting in good faith.
Funny how we use the word “faith” when talking about trust. Good faith is the basis of trust. But over the years we have been educated in doing things assuming that the other person in not acting in good faith. So business contracts include clauses that guarantee the transaction regardless of the good faith of those participating in the contract.
Looking at the dictionary the word faith is related to trust and confidence. Faith is complete trust and confidence in someone or something (Google/Oxford). For example: this restores faith in politicians. Also, faith is defined in relationship to a deity. For example: Faith is a strong believe in God or in the doctrines of a religion based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof. The latter part is fundamental because requires no proof. So, how can this faith can be created and nurtured? Over the years after George Fox in England and William Penn (Founder of Pennsylvania) in the USA, Quakers were know for their straight talk including having a “word”. Meaning that if someone said I give you my word it was an unbreakable promise. That word was the seal of contracts and made Quakers trustworthy and prosperous in their business. Until these days the symbol of a Quaker signifies quality. This can be said of other groups and organizations that have developed over the years a trade mark of trust.
It will be difficult and will take many years but we need to return to a society where trust, faith in each other and in institutions is widely spread. We we see our neighbors and others in our community like the good people they are. People that we can trust they are doing the right thing, that just like us a trying to do everything possible to make this world a better world. With that trust in hand we can then take the next step. We can work together!
David J Terrell 