Strive for trust, win life

Author: Liu Jiafu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: Traditional Chinese society is a "acquaintance society," characterized by personal relationships between people. Through these relationships, people connect with each other, forming a network of connections. Background and relationships are typical discourse in an "acquaintance society." The folk saying "It's easier to get things done with acquaintances" is a simple expression of an "acquaintance society." In an "acquaintance society," people live together year after year, even across generations, constantly seeing each other. If someone acts selfishly at the expense of others, they will inevitably face resentment and condemnation from others. However, due to social changes and population mobility, we are gradually entering a "stranger society." In an increasingly vast social space, people become strangers, with high mobility. If someone does wrong, they can quickly disappear into the crowd, making it difficult for others to retaliate. As a result, some people in society become unscrupulous, once leading people to feel that trust has collapsed. To gain others' trust, one must first be trustworthy, as others' trust is the best reward for one's trustworthy behavior. If one is not trustworthy, they cannot expect others to trust them, and in reality, not being trusted is also a form of punishment. In this sense, trustworthiness is not only a virtue but also a fundamental requirement for how a person acts and conducts themselves.