Trust in a Troubled World

“The more I read the papers, the less I comprehend. The world with all its capers, and how it all will end.” These are Ira Gershwin’s opening lyrics to Our Love Is Here to Stay, written in 1938. Now as well, the world order seems to be unraveling as we sit down for morning coffee.

My fear is not that America and other free nations lack the power to contain totalitarian threats. What scares me is that America is weakened by distrust. The strength of any culture and coalition comes not just from aligned interests, but mutual trust. Take away trust, and commitment becomes tentative. To be strong, any group must be bonded by belief in each other.

The bad guys know this. They like it if the U.S. acts like a bully, because that fractures alliances and undermines our moral authority. China, Russia, and others also sow division within America, hacking our culture using social media. America can’t be strong abroad, they know, if we’re weak at home.

NewslettersAndrew ParkMarch 12, 2026Trust

Institutions Are Us

Trust in America’s social institutions is at all-time lows. Distrust is like sand in the gears, causing people to question decisions and act defensively. Red tape grows in order to avoid argument: “The rule made me do it.” Institutions lose empathy as well as efficiency. Distrust grows. It’s a downward spiral.

We tend to think of institutions such as schools, hospitals and workplaces as inanimate objects. But institutions are the beating heart of a free society—not only providing virtually all products and services, but providing the framework for each of us to earn our livelihood and fulfill our professional ambitions.

NewslettersAndrew ParkFebruary 21, 2024Trust, Law & Liberty