My default position to trust no politican regardless of what they say or what party they join has aged pretty well.
Many misunderstand trust.
"Firm belief in the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing; confidence or reliance."
Is it wise to trust a class of people that have a long track record of lying and deceiving those they claim to work for?
If you wanted to show your son or daughter an example of a person with character would you most likely point to a politician?
Is it wise to rely on a politician for anything important in your life?
You can like what a politician does sometimes but trusting them always seems like a fools errand to me. But that's me.
Fair point trust should be earned, not given, especially in politics where self interest often comes first.
I extend that distrust to any person wearing a suit.
The suit was literally created to evoke a higher sense of trust towards the person wearing it. And it works.
Do you know the game theory for why that is?
More psychology than game theory.
Suits used to be very exclusive and custom-tailored only. So wearing one was a sign of wealth, success and displayed confidence. This evoked feelings of respect, reliability and by extension trust.
Because it worked so well in commanding "prepaid" respect and trust, it became a tool for professionals who could afford it. With more demand came the cheaper, off-the-rack suits and it lost some of its power over time, but certainly not all.
Among the upper levels of suitwearery (yes, I made that up) these days, you're expected to instantly spot if someone is wearing tailor-made with bonus points if you can name the tailor. Same goes for designer ties obv.
You wouldn't want to be seen as an off-the-rack wearer after all.
I dunno about this really. If you look at old pictures of NYC and other cities you see almost all men wearing suits. I also have a distrust of suits but Ithink this is mostly the influence of the 60s distrust of authority figures that carried over into the decades that followed. That coupled with my blue-collar background and influence of my father.
Today I am not sure my or your logic holds as we see less and less influence peddlers wearing suits. They tend to also be in lower production media and my trust mechanisms have adapted a lot. You even see low production value adds on TV copying the style of Tiktok.
We are constantly being manipulated so my suit distrust is too simple really.
With regards to this: I'm pretty sure it started in courts and some British (I think?) guy named Beau Brummell had some style(s) tailored that made it more mainstream over time.
Yeah, you are probably right. My point is more of the way they are viewed over time. I think for the most part the disdain for suits in modern times comes from the counter cultural movements of the 60s. Virtually no one is doing research on their origins.
For people like me there also could be a hold over from the 80's yuppies that explains some of my feelings. Also being required to wear ties to church every week is the practical reason I hate wearing one now.
As I get older this fades. In my youth I hated pretense and dressing up for appearances or respect. Now I get that whatever you do is a signal. Wearing jeans, a hoodie, a t-shirt is all sending a message about what you want to project. We can't help but participate in symbolism. I used to foolishly think I was rejecting it but I think that was wrong now. I was just projecting a different image. Maybe it was truthful or maybe not. Point is, clothes are easy to change and are a signal but one that can be used to manipulate.
Not sure we'd have a better world if lawyers and politicians wore casual clothes. Probably is just us being manipulated.
All fair points. My disdain may well be over the top.
I have grown that during my earlier working years when I was placed as code monkey ("tech consultant") at investment banks throughout Europe. I hated wearing formal attire too which likely made it worse.
I'm right there with you
You've slightly oversimplified things; there are lots of different kinds of formal attire that end up getting called "suits" by people who prefer less-formal fashion.
If"business casual" is the upper limit of unsuited informality, does adding a blazer on top because the weather is cold suddenly turn you into a "suit", wearing a slobby improvised suit-and-slacks combo?
Honestly, it is a subjective question... and remember that some people might not even have the financial freedom to make all the fashion choices they want, and end up wearing from charity, precisely what the previous owners did not keep!
The game of politics is so inherently corrupt that even if a good, honest person gets elected they can't accomplish anything unless they jump in the swamp with the swamp creatures. As soon as they do that they are compromised and if they don't they likely get nothing done and replaced by someone who will the next election.
If more people would just acknowledge this fact we'd be much better off.
But then they can't be part of Team Blue or Team Red.
A sense of homelessness is a massive fear for most people. That is one of the best explanations of the rise of US nationalism in recent years. It's completely understandable.
I've come to believe that most of political positioning is based on your personality more than thinking. Reading the Righteous Mind really opened my eyes to why I am not on the red or blue team from a non-ideological angle. I'm far more comfortable with new things and have less fear of non-conforming thought.
Sadly, many people would point to their favorite politician as an example of high character.
Your point about trust in politicians strikes at something most people feel but rarely unpack in detail. There is a distinction between approving of specific actions and granting blanket trust. The first is selective and situational, the second assumes consistent integrity over time. History and observation tell us that the latter is dangerous because politics molds incentives that often run counter to the public good.
The corruption you describe is not only about overt dishonesty but the systemic pressure to conform to a structure that rewards compromise of values in exchange for influence and survival. That means even well meaning individuals are tested in ways that make sustained integrity extremely rare. It is less about the moral fiber of any given person and more about the nature of the environment they operate in.
Your mention of "The Righteous Mind" is important here because it pushes the conversation past partisanship into personality and psychology. People often think their political alignment is purely ideological but in reality it is intertwined with instinctive moral foundations shaped by temperament and life experience. That is why some reject tribalism entirely and find both major political identities limiting.
The fear of homelessness and insecurity is a powerful motivator for nationalism and other protective sentiments. If individuals feel rootless or without a safety net they become far more willing to attach themselves to a collective that promises stability even if the promises are flawed. This is why emotional factors often outweigh factual analysis in political discourse.
The practical takeaway is to detach trust from personality politics and instead evaluate any political actor transactionally. Support decisions that align with your principles but never grant blind reliance. By keeping political engagement anchored in outcome rather than identity you insulate yourself from a system that thrives on emotional loyalty at the expense of accountability.
I see you only have a receiving wallet configured.
Please, enlighten the community to whom you have arrived for selling your wisdom: how did you get so superintelligent as to allow yourself this presumption?
I am beginning to enjoy spotting these bot accounts
I wouldn’t buy a car from a politician, banker, mattress salesman, insurance salesman and many other, but these come first in my mind.
Me cuesta creér en la palabra de los hombres en termino general también de mujeres especialmente si su política es política, recuerdo un dicho que se lo atribuyen a Napoleón Bonaparte " Si quieres ser un hombre famoso haz muchas promesas pero no las cumplas" y sí que político rey o ministro es eso pura falsedad, la humanidad está corrompida desde su corazón el resto le da un empujón.