“What matters most is not simply that trust has declined, but that we are learning how to operate inside a low-trust equilibrium. We govern differently. We argue differently. We interpret institutional action differently. And once a society settles into that equilibrium, the downstream consequences compound.”
(there is a material cost to a low trust society trajectory, and based on generational cohort turnover and this data, the US is on that trajectory)
Kids were helicoptered and scared by their parents and communities into thinking there's a predator behind every bush. No wonder.
> Non-religious Gen Z folks are incredibly wary of their fellow citizens.
Pretty smart reaction given the behavior of many American "Christians" over the past few decades.
Because of clickbait titles that turn “most people” into “anyone?” :P
Tongue in cheek. But I’m not seeing the crisis. Especially for a generation that grew up mostly online (in a world that is increasingly online).
The United States Has Become a Low-Trust Society — and That Changes Everything - https://kylesaunders.substack.com/p/the-united-states-has-be... - December 28th, 2025
“What matters most is not simply that trust has declined, but that we are learning how to operate inside a low-trust equilibrium. We govern differently. We argue differently. We interpret institutional action differently. And once a society settles into that equilibrium, the downstream consequences compound.”
(there is a material cost to a low trust society trajectory, and based on generational cohort turnover and this data, the US is on that trajectory)
Code used for this post can be found at https://gist.github.com/ryanburge/bf9b75a6cb6a66a556ee47a794...