Trust essential

TWO DIFFERENT stories, two different sets of circumstances ( Sunday Star-Times, January 20).

Parents decide not to vaccinate their children because, at some level, they distrust science, or medicine, or doctors. They change their minds when facing neardisaster.

A police officer is attacked while making an arrest. People video the events, then use the material to propound their distrust of the officer and of police in general.

The growing distrust of institutions, be they medicine, police, parliament, the judiciary, teachers, engineers or science, is slowly but surely paralysing society. Without trust, institutions cannot serve the public. We have to trust others. We trust the pilot of the airliner. We apparently trust film stars, rock singers and sportsmen when they offer advice on life. But when it comes to professionals, distrust is becoming the default setting. Of course, trust can be abused and, when that occurs, there should be action and correction. But these instances are few, and need not colour everyday interactions.

I do not call for the kind of trust that exists between a parent and a small child, but that which evolves from a meeting of reasonable adult minds. Without this, we will hinder progress in many areas.

Graham Sharpe, Wellington.