craigmcn

Sorry, folks, this was supposed to be a Thoughtful Thursday post, but it’s become what I’ll now call Forgetful Friday.

Sometimes I know I’m being naïve, and I’m sometimes a little gullible. But I believe that comes from having a certain amount of trust in people, rather than not thinking critically about a given situation.

It’s good that I’m still writing this post today, because an example of this came up just last night over drinks with some good friends. I said I had to trust that the program and service review at the university was fair and honest. I was told that, no, in fact, it should probably be questioned.

But I’m not in a position to know the actual financial situation of the university, nor the cost, efficiency or effectiveness of the programs and services. I trust that this data is being properly reviewed and assessed to come to fair and reasonable decisions about how to change. That may be naïve, and maybe I could find out these things and come to my own conclusions, but I trust in the process.

I recently had a relationship end and I was sad and angry for a long time (I still am, really). But I trust that the reasons I was given for the relationship ending were true and complete—at least as true and complete as they could be at the time. I trust that the “problem” wasn’t me and I accept (painfully) that there was nothing I could have done. I’d certainly like to believe that it was not an easy decision and that the loss I felt was reciprocated. Maybe I’m gullible, but I have to trust a person with whom I was in love. And in this case, I think it would demonstrate a significant lack of trust to investigate further.

Sometimes I know I’m being naïve, and I’m sometimes a little gullible. But I have to trust that the university or Canada Post or the government or people are acting in the best interests of everyone involved. And I know that often they’re not, they’re often acting out of blind self-interest or plain greed, and that’s often very apparent. And I’m well aware that the world is going to hell in a handcart. But without having a certain amount of trust, what kind of world are we making around ourselves?