Trust Me, I’m A [...]

TRUST, like respect, is meant to be earned, not just given. These days trust is a rare commodity. We never trusted lawyers or politicians, but there used to be lots of other folks we could trust… but what about now? Who do you actually trust these days?
Think about it. In the good old days there were always certain people or professions that our parents taught us to place absolute faith trust in. These were typically the upstanding citizens or groups within our communities that seemed to be above it all, beyond question and utterly good… and therefore trustworthy. Times however have changed dramatically in the last few decades and all those old stable go-to people or professions seemed to have changed with them.

Trust me, I’m a Priest: There was a time, certainly when I was growing up here in Ireland, that you everyone looked to their priest to solve almost all problems. The priest was one of the most trustworthy individuals within the community, but not any more. Child abuse and sex scandals have seen to that. These days the very last thing most people want their children doing is going anywhere near a priest.

Trust me, I’m a Doctor: Doctors used to be the gods who walked upon the earth; our problem solvers, our aspiration (for all good families wanted a doctor in their ranks) and our advisors. These days however all we hear about is malpractice lawsuits, misdiagnosis after misdiagnosis (the recent cancer scares are enough to convice me the system is fucked completely!), super-bugs in the hospitals themselves and, well, the list goes on and on. Now days the very last place you want to be when you’re sick is a hospital.

Trust me, I’m a Pilot: The smart uniforms, smarter IQ (than most of us, required to fly the planes) and of course the superior attitude used to set these folks apart from the rest of us, but now they have been relegated to the status of bus drivers. Most planes can take off and land themselves and the pilots are only there for emergencies.. but the growing list of pilot errors and drunken pilots doesn’t exactly imbue the profession with a lot of confidence, although they do still have statistics on their side, given the number of flilghts taken every day.

Trust me, I’m a Banker: Time was this was the solid profession all mothers wanted their sons to get into. Long stable careers with plenty of money and huge social standing within the community. Now though they are seen as basically greedy crooks who can’t manage a business. Just look at the amount of banks going to the wall these days, the financial markets meltdown around the globe and the national bail outs required to keep these bankers in business. Would you trust your banker these days? Didn’t think so.

Trust me, I’m a Cop: I know it was a long time ago, but there was a time when cops were treated with respect because the community saw them as staunch upright protectors, paragons of virtue and upholders of the law. That view of course has changed a lot as a result of decades of corruption and racism. Time was when a person wouldn’t think twice about asking a cop for directions, but in some parts of the world you are just as likely to get beaten up for approaching one.

So I guess the big question is.. who do you trust these days? Who can you trust these days?

Things have changed so dramatically around our world that the old faithfuls have been washed away in a torrent of scandals, court cases and tribunals.

So I ask you, who do you trust these days?