Thinking Through It

Thinking Through It

We Are Destroying the Foundation for Civilization

We Need to Rebuild It!

Alejandro Betancourt's avatar
Alejandro Betancourt
Jan 21, 2022
∙ Paid
Creative Commons Zero (CC0) from Pixabay

“Trust is the glue that binds civilization together. Without trust, there can be no commerce, no social order, and no peace. Trust is the lubricant that makes it possible for disparate individuals, groups, and nations to cooperate with one another.” — Robert J. Shiller

We all know that trust is not something quickly earned. It’s what allows humans to cooperate in unprecedented ways in the animal kingdom.

Without it, we wouldn’t trade, build cities, or share knowledge. Trust is the foundation of civilization because there would be no way to live together and thrive as a society without it.

What happens when our trust is destroyed? What happens when people don’t have any? How do we rebuild it for future generations?

Trust is not lost in a day. It takes time and a series of events to lose it. We need to be aware that we are not in a static world, and things change all the time.

Trust is the most underestimated human emotion. It is the feeling of securit…

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