For this old timey example I agree, but from like 2000 to 2025, I have noticed a decline in trust in the US. People are also more trusting today in certain parts vs others, or in some other countries, and it's not because of lower standards.
when something bad happens now it’ll be all over news broadcasts and social media.
I think it’s pretty well established that fear mongering will skew your perception of something bad happening, but something I hadn’t considered until now is that it can make the bad thing worse. In addition to dealing with whatever tragedy befell you, there’s a layer of judgemental shame piled on top (“how could they be so careless to let this happen? They must be a bad, neglectful parent”)
I feel like it's connected to a rise in flim-flam.
The con man has to convince you not to trust institutions and authorities, when those institutions and authorities tell you his product/service/investment opportunity is fake.
