If trust is so important for change, why is it we equate trust in the workplace, trust in relation to neighbors, trust in spouses, or trust in government officials with naivete?

Should the “truster” be considered naive or the “trusted” who turns out untrustworthy be considered unworthy of trust?

When society rather than regard the trusted as untrustworthy labels the truster naive or unsophisticated, we are as a society encouraging people to be untrustworthy. Being untrustworthy we imply is sophisticated and suave. Trusting others — naive and out of sync with the times.

We cannot encourage trust in society by labeling unrewarded trust naivete or lack of understanding of the times.