The reward for success is high, the penalty for failure is harsh

[The Lone Liberal]

That is the premise built by David Callahan in his book the Cheating Culture. According to Callahan that is also the reason that we have become a society of cheaters.

Athletes who take steroids to improve their performance

Doctors that take kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies

CEOs who doctor the books to improve the bottom line and their compensation

Lawyers who fraudulently bill hours

On and on it goes, until there will be no trust.

The reward for success is high, the penalty for failure is harsh.

It brings this question to mind: Who do you trust?

[The Lone Liberal]

1. I intend to get someone to answer this.

kick

[Bonhomme Richard]

2. Myself and those around me.

I have a reliable sixth sense and have learned to trust it. Those close to me wouldn't be close unless they were trustworth. All in all, I still have faith in my fellow humans.

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. You.

.

[Nikia]

4. Those who I have enough dirt on

To get them arrested, fired, or in serious trouble with their significant other, but not just in the way you might think though.
Someone who trusts me enough to share their deepest darkest secrets is worthy of my trust too. Of course if these secrets include a lot of underhanded betrayals of trust which they are not sorry for, I still might be suspicious of them.