Why Nobody Trusts Anyone Anymore

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What Everyone Seems To Miss

Here’s a pretty shocking statistic I found out the other day:

79% of US adults believe Americans have “far too little” or “too little” confidence in each other.

What’s going on here?

To those who feel a lingering cloud of mistrust over society, you might have a few assumptions already.

Polarizing media that’s promoted based on how engaging it is, instead of how truthful it is.

(Ironically) Knowing too much about everyone’s personal details, thanks to social media.

Being able to use the internet to support any and every belief you may have, causing the greatest mass of confirmation bias bubbles the world has ever seen.

But there’s something else going under the radar, that might be playing a bigger impact than all of those: Our neighbors.

Take a look at this graph:

According to the General Social Survey, social evenings with relatives and friends have remained largely the same. (Although, I would argue that we all don’t see each other in person as much anymore.)

In this case, that’s not what matters. What really matters are the light blue and orange lines.

The blue line—which is the line that represents the percentage of americans who say that others can generally be trusted—coincides almost perfectly with the decline of the orange line.

What does the orange line represent? Social evenings with neighbors.

This data suggests that the trust crisis in America has less to do with our mistrust towards family and friends, and more to do with the fact that we simply aren’t as neighborly with people we don’t know anymore.

Dare I say this, unironically:

The foundation of building more trust in America—and therefore, having more cooperation to get modern issues solved—may start with a smile, and a “hello” as you’re walking by a stranger.

Yes, I’m serious. You have no idea just how far some small talk with a random person, giving someone an unsolicitied compliment, or something of the like, can go.

Imagine if that person felt inspired to do the same after you did it. Then, they’d do the same onto someone else, and so on and so on. This is how societal norms become established.

It’s obvious something needs to be done about our ever-worsening condition of division in the US. And this is a place where everyone can start making an impact today.

I’ll be discussing this topic in much more detail in my video essay coming out on YouTube this weekend, so make sure you look out for that.

Something else that might be stopping you from being more neighborly with others?

Poor social skills.

When you’re afraid of judgement due to how you’ve been treated in the past, going up to a stranger and engaging in basic conversation can feel like a mountain that’s impossible to climb.

If you’re still stuck in a state of social anxiety and low self-esteem, my Self Mastery School could help you.

Self Mastery School is a place for those who want to actualize their greatest potential, strengthen their self awareness, and develop a fulfilling life philosophy.

It’s designed to help you stop the cycle of negative thoughts, and grow past your current identity that is afraid of change, growth, and stepping out of your comfort zone.

When you join the school, you’ll get access to:

• Full length courses/eBooks

• Weekly coaching calls and lectures (related to self-awareness, making money online, social skills, etc.)

• An exclusive community of ambitious, open-minded people

• In person meetups (coming soon)

It’s a place for those who feel like they can’t talk to anyone about self-improvement in real life, and are trying to find their tribe.

The friendships in there feel genuine.

And I have a feeling you’re going to find your tribe in there, too.

Here's some wins from our community:

I’ll see you in there.

Quote of The Week

Thanks for reading, everyone. Hope you enjoy your weekend.

-Cole