Betrayal of Trust

Betrayal  of  Trust

This subject was nominated by a friend.

This friend suggested the use of capital punishment for Betrayal of Trust.
Another friend queried whether betrayal of trust was possible.

Here, now, I question, what is the nature of the trust?
Is it trust in another’s intent, their ability or performance,
or perhaps their representation.
I commented at the time the subject was nominated,
“Trust is not offered in response to trustworthiness,
but because trust works”.
I meant by that that trust evokes trustworthiness.

Two situations I have been in have affected my view of the subject:

1) I have trusted others and had them on some occassions rise to the challenge of being trusted and enhance their trustworthiness and I have had some simply betray the trust.

2) I have depended upon the trustworthiness of others and have, in turn, accepted the trust of others, while I was dependent upon those I trusted. Then I have been betrayed leaving me without the means to honour the trust directed towards me.

This now makes the question of trust and betrayal compound and perhaps complex.

If trust is in intent, there are always possible obstructions to one’s intent.
If trust is in ability or performance,
there are always challenges beyond one’s ability.
If trust is in someone’s representations
that may require not only an intent to accurately represent,
but a skill at representation and
perhaps a psychological state that makes it possible.

copyright 2011, 2013, ECOhealth / Eve Revere