Endowment of Trust in You

Down the ages of human history, what appears to be a virtue has been turned by humans to a ‘social vice’, which many will hardly want to share or talk about. Everyone one of us have been a victim at one point or another in the hands of close family members, intimate friends, respectable citizens of the society, especially those in positions of authority who have abused this social virtue as illustrated in the scenarios below.

They were happily married for 20 years with three kids. Suddenly, he started behaving strangely… returning home from work late, hardly gives attention to his wife and kids, and reduces his monthly budget to the family. As if what appears to be a dream to his wife, he deserted the family for another woman. Her world was shattered in the sheer emotional and psychological trauma that followed.

While campaigning for an elective position, He promised the electorates that if given the platform to represent them, he would provide the people with basic infrastructural amenities, qualitative and affordable education for all, and tax reduction amongst others. Conversely, in less than two years in power; taxation was increased and other promises of his were not kept. What a woeful disappointment to the masses!

He has been known in the community over two decades as a respected Man of God. Many usually consult him for spiritual guidance and counseling. He has come to be loved and adored especially by his parishioners. Surprisingly, he was accused of sexually molesting a young woman in his congregation. Upon careful and thorough investigation as alleged, the revered Man of God was found guilty.

According to a French newspaper Le Monde, the global economic plight is largely the result of ‘ a widespread crisis of confidence’. Suffice to state that the human society is marred by a lack of TRUST!! As noted in the outset of this article, many detest a conversation on this social virtue because it is widely believed that an individual who hardly can trust himself cannot trust another. A question that deserves our utmost attention is – IS TRUST HUMANLY POSSIBLE?

Before delving deeply into the possibility or not of humans to be trustworthy, let’s first examine four possible causes of why humans in general have fallen short of this virtue.

GREED– In a New York Times report, Dr. Jerome Kassirer, a former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, explains; ” when researchers are beholden to pharmaceutical companies for much of their income, there is an incredible tendency to get results that are favorable to the companies”. As an adage goes ‘He who plays the piper, dictates the tune’ As much as greedy merchants and industrialists can get returns on their investment, any consequential effect even if human lives are involved matters less.

SUCCESS AT ALL COST- Science students in Germany are believed to have paid out thousands of Euros in bribes to teachers to ”earn” the title of Doktor, a symbol of success in that country. A study described in the New York Times found that many students who cut ethical corners said that they ”intended to follow a strict code of values” after they attained success. Ethical values are at low ebb in our modern society. People are bent on getting up the ladder of success at all cost even if compromising values are involved.

ABSENCE OF ROLE MODELS– Regarding high school students, one professor is quoted in The New York Times as saying: ” we might be tempted to say they’ve lost their moral compass……. it’s probably better to say that their teachers and mentors and the rest of society never helped them construct and internalize a moral compass in the first place” The deplorable moral collapse around the globe have resulted in people especially the youths lacking an heartfelt desire for morality..

PRACTICES INCONSITENT WITH VALUES– In a study of nearly 30,000 students, 98 percent said they believed that honesty is essential in personal relationships. However, 8 of every 10 students admitted that they had lied to their parents, and 64 percent admitted to cheating on an exam during the previous year. Lying and cheating has come to be a common practice to the youths today.

Consider this- experiments conducted by Michael Kosfeld, a professor of business administration at the Frankfurt University in Germany, led him to the conclusion that Trust is ”a biologically-based part of human nature.” Kosfeld discovered that when there is interaction between two people, the human brain releases oxytocin, a hormone that stimulates Trust. ‘‘It is, in fact, one of the distinguishing features of the human species, ” Kosfeld states. ‘‘When trust is absent, we are, in a sense, dehumanized’.

Simply put: without trust, a person is not worthy of being a human.

A man by name Santiago in Argentina, did not did not have to debate what he would do. When a bag was left in his taxi, he simply returned it to its owner. Santiago’s gesture may seem ordinary, except for the fact that the bag contained more than $32,000.00. CRAZY he was, some would conclude. He would have been expected to turn such a rare and great opportunity into the biggest fortune of his life! Besides, nobody was there watching him. Santiago’s experience adds credence and substance to the claims of Kosfeld above that the ability to exhibit Trust is a ‘natural function’ of the human race regardless of age, skin color, language, social status, and so on.

Trust, though apparently a rare quality in the world today, is within the reach of EVERYONE. When this virtue becomes part of you, other virtues associated are naturally displayed, such as- honesty, integrity, fidelity, faithfulness and so on. Trust will make you stand out amongst your peers. It will make you become the sort after worker/labor by employers of labor worldwide. It will earn you friendship you’ve never imagine to have in Life. It will boost your ego and moral. It will unleash upon you confidence like you never had. It will enrich your life with joy and satisfaction. Reason why today, corporate firms, social institutions, and even individuals are named after this virtue or use it as their slogans/pay-off.

Imagine a world filled with trustworthy individuals- No need to be in fear the next time you leave your wallet or purse behind in a store or market, the next time you forget to take along your valued mobile phone in the bank, the next time you remember that you did not lock up your car’s doors at the park. Much heartache and associated ills will drastically reduce, resulting in an increased life-expectancy for us ALL. So, never underestimate your ability to develop this great virtue of TRUST. By learning to cultivate and manifest Trust in your life, you are positioning yourself for greatness and success!!! Be TRUSTWORTHY Today.

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By Solomon Johnson

Solomon is a trained communicator and independent researcher currently based in Lagos. He has qualifications in Mass Communication at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos. He is presently a Post Graduate Diploma(PGD) student in transport Management with LADOKE AKINTOLA UNIVERSITY, OYO. He is the Founder and Director of the African Institute for Public Presentation and Creative Writing, Lagos. He is putting finishing touches to his book, Rule Your World and AFRICAN PRIDE: THE SUCCESS STORIES OF A GREAT CONTINENT .