What Does Trust Look Like?

"So you like white socialism? Seems a little racist."
And another.  "Mostly White, lest we forget." followed by "Do you believe there are characteristics pertinent to different breeds of Canis Lupis?"

These are just a couple responses on my wall to my recent postings about Denmark and in extension, Bernie Sanders.  I find that last statement, comparing people to dogs most egregious, although implying that a society can only work well is based on gradations of skin color is downright insulting.

What if there was a country where everyone is trusted to make good choices?  What does a country look like where it is a built in understanding that people will do the right thing?
What does that society look like?
It looks like Denmark.

The default is trust.

There is a lot of foot-stamping in America.  "My tax dollars are paying for HIS healthcare?!! SCREW HIM."

The overall feeling in Denmark to that is, So What?

Our economic uncertainty has fueled a distrust of each other.  We have fits over how and who we should help.  We should help everyone. All citizens deserve this.  In a country as powerful as the U.S., we deserve our basic human needs met.

Social policy in Denmark makes sure that almost no one falls into economic despair.  Healthcare is a right of citizenship.  Childcare, 2 year unemployment benefits, and education are all part of the system that protects Danish citizens.  College, graduate school, and even medical school are all free.  An educated populace is a productive populace.

Imagine that here.

During my trip, the people I encountered were fit and healthy.  They were calm.  Their children were calm.  Even in the best restaurants, families with children were present.  I notice these things because I don't want children in my restaurants, airplanes, or hotels.

Yeah, I'm a horrible person.  I work with the little snots so I can say these things.

No, but really, in every situation that I encountered with families, the children were happy and chatting with parents.  Not a cell phone in sight either.  What we perceive as poor parenting here is a reflection of our overall stress as a society.

What if?  What if a parent never had to worry about how to pay for their child's care?  What if we never had to worry or debate the right to healthcare?  What if we knew we would receive 90% of income during 2 years of unemployment?

What if we could live together without guns?  What if we didn't feel the need to arm ourselves against each other?

Trust.
I live in a country without trust and it reflects in everything here.