I reviewed Why Culture Matters Most, by David Rose.
According to David C. Rose, trust is essential for prosperity. A high-trust society is one in which almost everyone is trustworthy almost all of the time. . .
Rose’s thesis is interesting. But his focus is narrow in two respects. He boils culture down to a single variable, namely trustworthiness. And he boils trustworthiness down to an individual’s taste or inclinations.
I spell out these criticisms in the essay.
This is the link.
There are different dimensions to trust which we tend to lump together. One has to do with intentions. Another, with self-control. A third, with self-assessment and capability. A fourth, with honesty.
Do they desire to do me harm or good?
Can they control their own negative impulses, fears, laziness?
Do they know their own limits? Will they have the capability to do what they desire to do?
Would they admit to their own weaknesses? Can they do what they say they will do?
These come in all permutations. In a high face society, someone may want to do a good thing, may feel guilty about knowing he cannot, and will yet say he can knowing he can’t – and will commit suicide as a result. Is that high trust? I still can’t trust that the job will be done…
+1
> Rose says that the most effective way to ensure that people develop a taste for moral restraint is for parents to inculcate this value to their children.
It is not central to the “trust” argument but I’m surprised every time I see “the nurture assumption” tossed about as truth in age where Judith Rich Harris’ challenge remains unsullied. It very well could be that “trust” is different than personality and this is one unstudied area that good twin studies might show that parenting has a significant contribution but I think I’m correct in being skeptical until evidence indicates this truly is a special case.
Kling also challenges Rose’s assumption but not from a “Nurture Assumption” point of view:
> Trustworthiness is not just a matter of individual inclination, as inculcated by parents. The social creation of trust is multi-faceted.
Is this a key contribution to both Progressive and Conservative positions; both are unaware or dismissive of Judith Rich Harris’ “The Nurture Assumption”?
Does anyone know what Kling’s view is on Judith Rich Harris? What about other libertarian or classical liberal thinkers that are slightly more sympathetic to social conservative views like Thomas Sowell or even Russ Roberts?
Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.
-Shakespeare
from the review:
“Most Americans cannot be trusted to obey the speed limit on the highway.”
But most Americans can be trusted to do about 10 mph above the posted speed limit. And most Americans can be trusted to not go much faster than the rest of the traffic–or if they do, to stay in the extreme left lane.