Trust.

It is perhaps one of the most complex and fragile flaws of the human condition. We all seek this intangible quantity, we all wish to possess it to offer to others, but is it something truly measurable that can be relied upon?

Quite simply, no.

We are societal creatures. From our earliest tribal beginnings in mud huts on Earth back in the mythical Milky Way galaxy, to the current empires spanning New Eden, with populations of trillions belonging to each, we crave interaction; it’s hard wired into us. 

We are not meant to live solitary lives. We are not meant to endure this existence alone. Granted, some of us contentedly make that choice; namely Capsuleers.

As I’ve reflected on before, the life of the Capsuleer can be an existance of self-inflicted isolation, a way to prevent one’s self from suffering the inevitable fate of repeatedly watching our loved ones die. That isn’t what I am referring to today.

Even as immortals we live amongst other gods in this galaxy, fellow pod pilots whom we can hopefully assume will live forever with us, or against us. That brings up a whole other quandary best saved for another entry, How to kill an enemy that cannot die.

But back on topic, if we may.

All relationships are based on trust. Where trust exists, relationships are perceived as healthy. Where trust is absent, often times our emotions wither and die. These can be filial relationships, romantic relationships, business relationships, or even relationships with pets or inanimate objects.

We are creatures of habit. We are lazy. We expend the least amount of energy possible to obtain the desired result. It’s always been that way; it always will be that way.

We are slow to change our way of thinking. We are slow to give our trust, yet we are quick to seek it from others.

How many times in your own life have you spent years gaining trust only to have it broken in an instant? 

How many times have you given your trust to someone only to have it broken?

How many times have you vowed to never place faith in trust again only to make yourself a hypocrite days later?

That is the flaw. That is our nature. We need to trust; and to be trusted.

As a fleet commander, I need my pilots to trust in my decisions without hesitation; lives hang in the balance. There can be no second guessing, no questioning of orders; trust is implicit.

As a Colonel I demand the same trust. Those serving under me need to react and do when given commands. Military heirarchy relies on this, as do many other models of authority.

As an employee I need to be able to trust the direction and leadership of my corporate directors. To not do so means I either find another job, or stick with the one I have discontentedly, which a great many people do.

As a pilot, I place trust in my deck crews every day, trusting them to have my ships in pristine working order; my life depends on it. There is trust in the ship manufacturer, trust in the docking bay personnel, trust in everyone involved in making my ships function.

I trust in Aura. Without her, my life of immortality wouldn’t exist. I trust in the engineers that designed and implemented her. I trust in the scientists that researched and perfected her. I trust in the programmers of her AI as she is wired directly into my brain, tapping into my higher cognizant capacities. 

As a civilian, I place my trust in Concord. If laws are broken, I trust there will be justice. Because of this, we place our trust in countless strangers we interact with each day. We trust they will abide by the law.

Yet even with pirates, we place certain trusts. We trust they will be untrustworthy. We trust they will try to scam us. We trust they will not play by the rules. Even in this, we are trusting distrust, if that makes sense.

As a voting citizen, I choose in whom to place my political trust, whom I believe will bring us closer to the utopian future we all dream of living in.

As a lover, I place my trust in my partner unconditionally, knowing in her I can confide everything I am, everything I am not, and everything I hope to be without fear of condemnation or rejection.

As a philosopher, I trust my religious views work for me, benefitting and enriching my own life view.

As a human, I place my trust in myself to do the right thing, no matter what others may think.

But what happens when trust fails? What consequence is there when communication breaks down and we become suspicious of one another? 

Truth is based on our perception of trust. When trust fails, do truths become false?

And what becomes of a man who suffers a complete breakdown of trust within every aspect of his life? What does that do to the human psyche? How does one continue, not able to believe in anything or anyone? Is that even a life worth living?

What events unfold when you cannot even trust yourself?

I trust you will have some insights to share.