O’ it was that simple…
Often I have witnessed the investigation of the social construct we know as trust; I’d go further to say I’ve witnessed the attempt of inculcation of the process. During outdoor experiences it seems a natural facet to the holistic learning often championed by outdoor learning practitioners; the following quotes demonstrate the spirit of this intent:
Though my question I suppose is where does it all go wrong? Is Hemingway’s notion of trust naïve, many other philosophical quotes involving trust incorporating a necessity for trepidation in each social contract…
I have known a vast quantity of nonsense talked about bad men not looking you in the face. Don't trust that conventional idea. Dishonesty will stare honesty out of countenance any day in the week, if there is anything to be got by it.
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Perhaps the crux of what I ponder lies within Dickens’ quote above; I have heard all too often ‘money is the root to all evil.’ Though this seems a tragically cold world – I know more than most life is tough – the inclusion of this necessity to constantly watch your back and never completely let your guard down implies there can never be any trust. Let us consider Dickens’ ‘bad men’ I can’t help but think of those game-shows where winning a sum of money depends on two people voting in secret to steal or share. Nobody ever wants to think of themselves as being the one that steals the money much less admit out loud they would be capable of taking advantage of someone and abusing trust. However those people are ‘out there’ they must exist otherwise trust as a concept would be redundant.
When we are let down by someone it inevitably hurts when that person is someone you admire and may consider a mentor as well as a friend it may make you question your very belief in the human race. This may be heading down a dark cynical route but when Emerson said
Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly and they will show themselves great.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Did he consider what happens when those mean turn out not be great…
There is hope though:
To state the facts frankly is not to despair the future nor indict the past. The prudent heir takes careful inventory of his legacies and gives a faithful accounting to those whom he owes an obligation of trust.
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
Yes there will be those who try and justify there own ends with weak excuses as to why they may forsake others – con-artists or confidence tricksters – but ultimately a person can only be measured on their scruples and the ‘accounting’ Kennedy so eloquently describes above, the only evidence of this when all is said and done and the money has run out, the people who stand around you trusting in you.
