Is trust in a person's statements freely given or earned? Share your thoughts..

[eagle1911]

POLL QUESTION CHANGED (thank you Booty for pointing out my error): IS TRUST FREELY GIVEN OR EARNED?

I'm curious to see how folks here feel about things like this, so I'm starting an anonymous poll. People can feel free to participate or ignore this as they see fit.

If someone were to come up to you and in a very anal-retentive tone say something like: "You are clueless. I'm the very best at what I do. I have forgotten more than you will ever know, but I can't show you a single thing to back that claim up." Would you believe them sans any supporting evidence?

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

i try to give folks respect unless they give me reason not to .
TRUST HAS TO BE EARNED .

 

[eagle1911]

Very good point! That's the kind of answer I'm looking for..

Trust is a better word than respect.. thanks for pointing that out. Trust is more what I mean anyway.. I'll try to edit the thread title.

I want to know if I'm in the wrong for expecting people who tout themselves as being something special to back it up before I accept their word.. particularly if they are using their so-called "expertise" in attempts to discredit others.

If I am actually in the wrong for not believing their inflated statements about themselves, then I can accept that and attempt to change.. I've been wrong before and I'm certainly not too good to admit it.

Personally I think we've got a few people around here who talk big just to troll. I base this on a complete lack of evidence/contributions to support their claims. I think that's a fair analysis on my part frankly.

 

[GnG8d]

I tend to put everybody on the top shelf and let them work their way down, rather than put them on the bottom shelf and make them work their way up.

 

[eagle1911]

^Interesting reply, and I can respect that. I'm a little more pessimistic than that... and it's served me well in life so far actually.

I don't know guys..

I'm kinda having a little trouble believing that the majority of people who have voted so far actually just go through life believing everything people say to them.. lol. Surely we're not all such a gullible lot are we? Perhaps the trolls of which I speak really have found themselves the perfect venue for their follies.

Ah well.. always worth a shot to ask.

 

[GnG8d]

^Interesting reply.. I'm a little more pessimistic than that.

I suppose I can be a little gullable in real life giving people the benefit of the doubt. But internet forums are a little different where you pretty much have to take eveything with a grain of salt until you come to understand the source.

 

[eagle1911]

Honestly I think that internet forums are a great place to go to see just what people really think and to see exactly what sort of character they possess. People tend to be unabashed when posting on a forum..

One constant throughout my life has been that when people start talking a big game, unless they can show proof then they are just windbags and should be labeled as such. The vast majority of self-aggrandizing people I've met (and when I say vast I mean VAST) have been nothing but windbags. The people who really know their stuff almost never feel the need to be flashy about it. This is why I've come to this pessimistic state I'm in.

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

trust is tempered by whats at stake . the more risk the more trust is needed , if i dont have the necessary level of trust then i dont risk trusting them . now as far as trusting information i have to consider the source . some people will believe a lie and pass it on as truth , they didnt lie , but their information was crap .

id trust my GF with my life , but i wouldnt trust them to her to tell me how to build an antenna .
i am currently trusting the information of a few folks here to build another antenna , but i wouldnt trust them with my life .

 

[eagle1911]

I see your point, and I agree wholeheartedly. Quite often people do pass on bad info unintentionally, and they are not liars, just misinformed. The reason I started this thread is to address something that is much more along the lines of simply being an outright liar.

My issue stems from the fact that certain people (you know who you are.. WWII Japanese suicide dive-bombers etc..) are piping up from time to time to tell some people that they are either incorrect or just plain stupid. The problem is that the people making these claims cannot (or will not) respectfully offer any means of improvement or offer any help at all, and even worse these people have been thoroughly unable to prove that they know any better than others in any way at all. Why should their unproven claims of superiority not be publicly called out as anything other than the worthless hot air that it is?

 

[Marconi]

1911, I voted to trust, behind Booty Monster I think.

When I hear a story of an experience I compare it to my own experience when appropriate. However, I go by an old adage I heard once...trust but verify.

Then if an idea cannot be duplicated, then question why and try again. If that fails, then ask thoughtful questions to try and improve understanding, and if you get new information try again. The results can be suggestive of your ultimate sense of the idea and go from there.

I often find those that disagree with me at times or visa versa...can be the best communicators of understanding of a different point of view, and sometimes I change my mind and/or learn something new. When we can't do that we're stuck.

I also believe in a good argument, if the issue does not get clouded with personal bickering, but I'm human and sometimes I fail. The answer you seek is not always so cut and dry.

I rely mostly on a word from my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ however, noted in St. Matthew 7, 15-20. Read that and be well guided.

 

[eagle1911]

Words of wisdom.. there are some good people here, and I've learned volumes from reading about your and others' experiences. I'm glad for that and I appreciate it..

I agree with your statement about a good argument.. unfortunately a proper argument requires one to offer alternative points of view. Simply saying "You're wrong" or "I'm awesome" is not an argument.

False prophets.. excellent passage. Thanks for reminding me..

 

[hookedon6]

Alex, can i have Pearl Harbor for $1000?op:

 

[pro151]

I think I will change my signature to read;

We must all Agree to Disagree Agreeably.
(Or I will track you down and whip your @$$!) :laugh:

I will trust anyone a little bit from the get-go.

Full trust is earned right along with respect, neither is a given.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

IMHO anyone can talk the talk but if you can't do the walk then it doesn't mean a hill of beans to me. Some of the most arrogant people on the net like to tell people where they are wrong but offer nothing in return in the way of proof that they know better. How many times have we seen someone, even on this forum, berate somebody and ctiticise them and yet not offer anything in the way of proof that they are right other than saying that they are?

 

[bob85]

they can't offer proof from respected sources when they make the shit up,

you should keep out of it unless you are willing to show where you got your info from when there is disagreement so those interested can read it and decide which is the best source of info