This podcast episode discusses the decline in social trust, particularly post-pandemic, as highlighted in the 2025 World Happiness Report. Host Dr. Laurie Santos interviews trust expert Rachel Botsman, exploring different types of trust (institutional, interpersonal, social), defining trust as a "confident relationship with the unknown," and identifying trust barriers. Botsman emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between low trust and distrust, outlining three stages of distrust (defensiveness, disengagement, disenchantment). The discussion highlights how trust is shifting from hierarchical structures to distributed networks (e.g., influencers), impacting happiness and political behavior. Listeners gain insights into recognizing and overcoming trust barriers, making "trust leaps," and fostering local community connections to improve well-being.
