Trust Me!

Trust is a pretty fundamental element in the construction of a society. Levels of mutual trust are very highly correlated with economic progress - lack of mutual trust is a poison that cripples economic activity. It also seems that trust is modulated by one basic hormone: oxytocin. Oxytocin is a critical homone in cervical dialation (for birth), the let-down reflex (lactation), pair bonding, and orgasm, and if they spray it up your nose you are likely to give away your money to a stranger who asks.

Trust in government is at an all-time low right now, and NPR decided to do some stories on the phenomenon. Government isn't the only institution that isn't trusted - distrust is rather general, suggesting a widespread oxytocin shortage - I mean that distrust is contagious. The NPR story today focussed on the biological underpinnings, but even when we aren't engaged in one of the activities listed in the previous paragraph, our oxytocin levels are equisitely modulated by our overall mental processes, as well as more generalized states like stress. The widespread economic distress today is one good reason for stress and a consequent lack of trust in everything.

Cynical actors - I'm talking about Fox News and the Republican Party - have learned to foster, encourage, and in part to harness this distrust. What they get by spreading their current lies - Obama is a Kenyan, Muslim, Communist, Antisemite or whatever, for example, is an angry and distrustful population eager to lash out. Some of the people they have incited have already murdered or planned to murder policemen and other government officials.

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