-RRH-

In modern western culture, trusting someone is often seen as a virtuous action.

To a certain extent, I can see that if you trust someone and they don't trust you back, that can be insulting. But placing the blame solely on the one who doesn't trust you ignores your responsibility to earn others' trust.

Is the treatment of trust as a virtue exclusive to modern western culture? Is it tied into religious views of faith?

Paddy

A world where implicit trust is a normal part of every day living is fine if we are talking about an "ideal" world. However, unfortunately we do not live in a world where implicit trust, extended to all, is practical.
I'm not sure as to where the idea of trust being a virtue came from. I see it as something that is elicited as a result of appraissing certain variables between two parties (history, character, etc.) and making an informed decision. Of course, our appraisal may be off at times, resulting in the possible abuse of one's trust.
I don't think that trust is a virtue; I think that anyone who trusts unreservedly is going to be abused. Perhaps it not the way it "should" be, it's just the way it is.



Paddy

Amie

I wouldn't necessarily say it is a virtue. I tend to trust everyone until I have a reason not to however some may trust no one until they have a reason *to* trust. It just really depends on the person. I am not so sure that my trust is tied into my religious views though, perhaps it is, I never really gave it much thought when it comes to associating trust with religion...

Infinity Lover

Amie, lieve schat, I trust you completely when you say that.

I think that in "civilized" western countries things are less dog eat dog on the street, the chance of getting cheated robbed or raped are smaller, and we subsequently pride ourselves in being able to trust each other more.

Amie

Hi RRH
I forgot to touch on the point you brought up about trusting someone who does not reciprocate. I really do not see than as an insult. I think there are people who are more trustworthy than others. The time I think I may feel a bit hurt is if someone I was close to did not trust me because I think trust is one of the most important things in a relationship. Speaking of virtue I just want to add that for me it can definitely be a negative. I have been burned by people I trusted more times than I can ever count and I often find myself in situations where people try to take advantage of me however it does not seem to have affected my ability to trust but I could certainly see how it would. However the ones who have taken advantage of my trust and hurt me in the process are not in my life. I think its important to safe guard oneself as well...

Puritan

"Trust ye not in a friend,put no confidence in a guide;keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.
"For the son dishonors the father,the daughter rises up against her mother,the daughter in law against her mother in law;and man's enemies are the men of his own house.
"Therefore,i will look unto the Lord;i will wait for the God of my salvation;my God will hear me."
[Micah-7:5-7]


I think this means you can show love and compassion for others without having to completely trust them.
But I think this verse is referring specifically to these last days,and is one Jesus Himself quoted,when He said He did not come to bring peace,but a SWORD.
The time is soon coming when their will be very few people we can trust.
Especially when many are even now questioning the intentions of their very own President...the one man we should be able to trust.

Starboy

This may date me, but does anyone remember that article in Gardner's mathematical games section of Scientific American about twenty years ago or so. Back when Scientific American was worth subscribing to. It was on the prisoner's dilemma. A computer game was setup and people were encouraged to submit programs to solve the problem. IIRC the winning program was based on a strategy called tit-for-tat. It was essentially - I will trust you until you screw me and then I will never trust you again. The game implied that initial trust was the best long-term strategy. Perhaps evolution has figured this out and the supposed virtue is just a manifestation of that fact.

Starboy