"Assume positive intent."
-Unknown
This is easier said than done, but I think it needs to be ingrained in all of us. Pause before the assumption - and lead with yes rather than no.
A new Marquette Law School Poll national survey finds a dramatic decline in the level of trust among people, broken down by generation. Those born before 1960 are the most trusting, with each subsequent age group less trusting than the one before. The trend culminates with those born in the 2000s, who are the least trusting of all.
Across four polls conducted with 4,500 respondents in 2026, 77% of those born before 1960 say most people can be trusted - a markedly high level of interpersonal trust. Contrast that with those born in the 2000s, among whom only 35% say most people can be trusted. This dramatic difference is no fluke.
It's tempting to reach for a handy explanation — easy to blame social media, our phones, and rapid technological change. But there's always nuance in responses and studies. Read the full survey here, and keep asking yourself: are you trusting others enough, or are you letting change erode our human instinct toward connection?