Trust in America

On my way to a hotel about 1.5 hours away for work this week, I was listening to NPR (my only choice in radio these days) All Things Considered.  They featured a segment entitled: Trust in America

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It was fascinating to me to hear whom people trust and whom people don't.  Justin Wolfers...an economist from UPenn's Wharton Business School who is studing trust...he trusts his mom.  Tom Brokaw...most trusted TV journalist in America...well, he trusts his wife.  Gallup has been polling people since the 70's regarding trust. 

It was an ironic segment for what is going on in my life right now.  I'm struggling with trust in the "institutions", in "leadership", in anything beyond secure, individual relationships that have withstood the time tests.  Breakdown of trust is detrimental to institutions and untrustworthy leadership leads to corruption, greed, and poor leadership and decision making.  

How do we develop trust when trust has been shattered?  Whether it be in the large scheme of an institution or on personal level...breakdown of trust can be loathsome and heart wrenching. 

One poingnat concept from this interview that I heard was to think about the "incentives facing those who are making decisions"...from a business standpoint that makes sense.  Where are the conflicts of interest that are forming biases in leadership?  Can we trust them? 

Whom do I trust?  This is one of my lifelong quests...trust has been broken and rebuilt, broken and rebuilt, and then shattered once more.  I trust God.  I trust myself...some of the time.  I definately don't trust the institutions right now, but I will think more about what incentives come from poor decision making from this point forward to gain some perspective.

Thanks NPR always considering all things...