There is a silent force that sustains a good part of our daily decisions. It is not signed, imposed or constantly monitored, but it is there, mediating between people, institutions and systems. That force is called trust.
We trust when we go to the doctor expecting him to recommend the most appropriate treatment. We trust when we sit in a restaurant, confident that the food was handled with hygiene. We trust when we buy an airline ticket, believing that the airline has properly maintained the plane. We trust hundreds of little things every day, almost without realizing it. Trust is, in many ways, the invisible glue that keeps the complexity of the modern world functional.
But what happens when that glue cracks?
The recent collapse of a structure at a nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, which left several dead and injured, has been a tragic reminder of what happens when controls, regulations or simply a commitment to the basics fail. It was not just a structural failure. What really collapsed was trust: in those in charge of the premises, in the authorities who should have supervised, in the system that should have prevented a tragedy.
And this is not an isolated event. Think of the 2008 financial crisis, when large banks and institutions collapsed due to irresponsible and opaque practices, taking with them millions of savings, jobs and homes. Think of the pandemic, when distrust in health authorities and the rise of misinformation put the lives of millions at risk. Or the corruption scandals that have multiplied in different countries, undermining the credibility of governments, companies, the media and even civil society organizations.
We live in times in which mistrust has become almost an attitude by default. Doubt replaces the benefit of the doubt. Suspicion replaces respect. And, without realizing it, distrust seeps into our relationships, decisions and collective projects. So, the big question is: how do we rebuild trust when it has been lost?
Because trust is not synonymous with naivety. To trust is to accept a certain vulnerability based on the – reasonable – expectation that the other party will do the right thing. Trust is based on transparency, consistency, responsibility and accountability. And while it takes years to build, it can be lost in seconds.
Can an institution regain the trust of its citizens? Can a company prove that it is on the side of its customers and not just its shareholders? Can we, as a society, bet on each other again, even if they failed us once?
Perhaps we should begin by recognizing that trust is not only an ethical or moral condition, but also a structure as essential as roads or hospitals. Without trust there is no sustainable development, no cooperation and no innovation. In its absence, what collapses is not just a building or an economic model, but the very possibility of living together.
Restoring trust is undoubtedly one of the greatest challenges of our time. But it is also one of the most urgent. For without trust, everything else falters.