DB: Once You Realize It's a Game, Play.
The problem with knowing is that you don’t. You never really do, do you? We think we know all sorts of things, times and dates, missions and reasons, directions and instructions. But if we really stop and consider ourselves in relation to the world, do we really know anything? (Please excuse my obvious detour into nihilism, and know that I realize if nothing can be known, then I can’t know it enough to tell you) My point is, you can drive yourself mad pretty quickly if you realize that you don’t actually know anything, or you can realize that you, in order to be a member of the everything that is, must trust.
Trust, is then the key to peace in the world of a million voices and a million could be’s and a million could have been’s. I trust that you are reading this, you trust that it is actually me writing it (as opposed to Derek pretending to be me, which is possible). We trust that the stores will open, and they will continue to feed us our food. We trust in the invisible money that hangs out in magnetized strips of black on the back of wallet sized advertisements for credit companies. We trust that when going out, the bouncer at the club will keep the scary drunk guy from following us down the street to our car.
On a local level it is this faith in our fellow humans that keeps us anchored and gives us the confidence to enjoy the city we love. I’m not talking about blind faith either, we all know that there are people who will cheat you in the world, but there are also people who will treat you fair. This week I want to nurture the relationships that I do actually trust, and perhaps risk and trust in some things that may not have proven themselves to me yet. When I look at the people or organizations that I refuse to trust, I find the places in my life that I am not free.
Perhaps we could start a list of businesses and people that are assets in the pool of social capital. Who do you trust?
Filed under: DB
20 comments
R RR Anderson March 4, 2008
I trust google… and my own lying eyes.
S Sassy McButterpants March 4, 2008
I’m with Agent Moulder on this one. Trust No One. God he was hot.
M Mofo from the Hood March 4, 2008
Mr. Blue:
I still haven’t decided if you’re a real person or a fragment of somebody’s imagination.
It seems that we’re living in the age of skepticism. That’s too bad. I can think of lots of things that are knowable.
I know if I jump out a 10th floor apartment window that gravity is going to send me in the direction that I’ve been heading since the day I was born.
If I place my bare hand on a hot stove plate I know I’ll get burned. If I read commentary by RR Anderson I know my mind will get warped (not sure if he’s a real person or a fragment of somebody’s imagination.). All three examples are facts—-true and knowable whether one trusts to believe it or not.
But when you’re talking about people and organizations of which you say that you refuse to trust and therefore you are not free, then that’s a personal feeling, and a feeling cannot be disputed.
But this is a fact: People are not reliable. They’re always changing somehow. You cannot know something that is always changing; imperfect, if you please.
So if you want to “start a list of businesses and people who are assets in the pool of social capital,” and qualify the list by asking others who to trust, then the list that results will never be reliable—-not by testimony or argument.
T Tressie March 4, 2008
rr is real, laura told me so. I hugged DB, so he is true-fully. real. Derek has been to my old house and fixed my black/blue screen of death computer……sassy is real.I know her cousin.
A list is too changeable.It has to be a concept….But, ya know, you can never trust a republican, Ralph Nader,(not anymore).. or some democrats. rich people ….naw.
The thing about trust is…..it is never wasted, only misplaced. Only you can decide how much innocence you are willing to risk. True Love is worth it ..and even that is a gamble. I don’t trust much/many…..The center cannot hold..But man What a Ride….just saying. And carry a big box of band-aids.
U urbanecologist March 5, 2008
In the game of trust, it seems to come down to probability. For the better part of our lives we are constantly examining the laws of physics, and learn to trust as sound and knowable certain very likely outcomes to situations in life: gravity becomes quite trustworthy, as does the searing quality of hot metal. Through repetition and conditioning we can place enough faith in an outcome to rely on it as worth trusting. Our legs are strong enough to support us while walking. Our own depth perception will keep us from being hit by a car. The list goes on.
Other outcomes are less probable, but in order to be able to step into a relational existence with the world we have to trust. When I give the clerk the correct amount of money, she will give me the product. When I say hello to my mother, she will recognize me. If I compliment someone genuinely, they will be better for it.
Every single outcome listed previously is subject to change (some much less than others). And so is a list of trustworthy businesses and people, written by those who are assuming a level of probability in their claims.
To start from “I think, therefore I am” every time you wish to systematically evaluate the world in front of you in order to reach a trustworthy conclusion would be exhausting business. Somewhere along the spectrum we need to surrender our skepticism and decide that a risk is worth it. And we can even elect to accept a mindframe that includes trust without the confidence of extremely favorable odds. It might be quite liberating.
A Andrew Campbell March 5, 2008
Okay, I think this, like many DB-prompted discussions, has gone too far… I took this (albeit meandering and vaguely self-inflating) piece of commentary to be a call to rally around the places in Tacoma that we know and love for a fact. I didn’t get the impression that it was an invitation to refute DB’s belief on the matter and hash up our own quasi-nihilist (but not ACTUAL nihilist) philosophies. He seems relatively certain of himself as the authority on things like this… he’s important around here you know… Rather, let’s just do what he asks to avoid eliciting another philosophy 101-induced existential lecture. I really like where he’s going with it, but let’s all go there together: Corina Bakery, Walter and Jess, Pao’s, Fidel the barber, Cecil the drunk Indian, you know the ones.
And Sassy… even the MOST closed-minded woman can admit that Scully CLEARLY takes the cake for most seductive x-filer… :)
M Mofo from the Hood March 5, 2008
Andrew, if that’s the way you feel, I’m certainly not gonna argue with your impression. Trust me.
W wes March 5, 2008
thank you andrew.
my money is my vote and i vote local.
S Sassy McButterpants March 5, 2008
Andrew @ 6-
I respect your feelings, but agent Scully always seemed like a repressed stuck up cow to me. To each his own! Anyways, this way we’re not in competition…
T Tressie March 5, 2008
a list is elitist…..I prefer:Favorites Subject to Change. especially since neo-yuppies are co-opting Tacoma Authenticity…..and um, branding it and mis-defining it…and just because it’s local doesn’t make it trustworthy. But it’s a good start. But as much as DB is cooooolio, it’s the wrong, but interesting, question.
A altered chords March 5, 2008
There will be local jazz played by local people you can trust to play real instruments to play tunes you know and trust. This will be played next Tuesday night 3/11/08 from 5:30 to 8:30 at the One Heart Cafe.
The One Heart occupies the space formerly occupied by the Kickstand. (you know the place).
Please come out, buy some food and a beverage, listen to the music, look at the art, buy the art, share ideas, play chess, surf the web.
I do sincerely hope that this small jazz group and the other jazz project in which I am involved contributes a trickle to the pool of social capital of Tacoma.
A Andrew Campbell March 5, 2008
Have to hand it to you Sass, you’re not wrong. I do appreciate a good character debate… do you happen to know who Barf the Mog is?
D Douglas Tooley March 5, 2008
A conspiracy of the honest? It isn’t necessary. It certainly would be funny if the paranoid dishonest didn’t do so much damage when ‘everyone’ is out to get them.
BTW, this idea is the core of the Grameen Bank/Mohammad Yunus micro-capital business model which won the nobel peace prize.
Their loans are to individuals, but they are done in pools of neighbors. In this case ‘social capital’ is your credit rating. If your neighbors say you are a good risk, Grameen will loan you money.
S Squid March 5, 2008
I’ll bite on this one:
I trust the handmade Green River soda at Don’s Ruston Market, the tailoring at Franco’s, anything that Bill the Wine Merchant suggests, the open-face sloppy joes at Pacific Grill, beef from Dave’s Meat & Produce, the crack of the bat and the smell of fresh cut grass at Cheney Stadium.
I trust the look in my dog’s eye when he really, really wants to get that ball, the trails at Point Defiance, the fries at Zoomie’s on Vashon Island.
I trust the rain in the winter. I do not trust the summer sun.
S Sassy McButterpants March 5, 2008
Andrew @ 12, I’m afraid I don’t know who that is…
Squid, I couldn’t agree with you more on Bill. If I go in there and say, “I want your finest $11 bottle of Red (strong and bold, just like me!) he never steers me wrong. That man’s a saint.
I have trust issues in general (and I feel no need to change) but I totally trust the good people of Cafe By The Bay.
M Mummah Bird March 5, 2008
Begs the question: is there any reason to trust one’s own understanding and be compelled to voice an opinion regarding the integrity/trustworthiness of our local merchants? What’s your (or my) foundation for truth? (“sets you free” I’ve been told.) Sure, misplaced trust=“owie, dangit!”, but am I bitter or better for the experience? Of what I know of truth, it is wise to shoot for the latter, as I believe more freedom is found in that general direction. That said however, I do hope for success in the compilation of this list you speak of, and pray that if a used car dealership should appear on it, God will give you cookies.
E Erik B. March 5, 2008
This week I want to nurture the relationships that I do actually trust, and perhaps risk and trust in some things that may not have proven themselves to me yet. When I look at the people or organizations that I refuse to trust, I find the places in my life that I am not free.
Nicely said.
If one is only hanging around with people they know and trust, one may be playing life far too safe. Take a risk.
Make contact with someone you consider the “other” whether it be a homeless person or a Huckabee supporter. Which one makes you feel more uncomfortable?
R RR Anderson March 6, 2008
Trust in the ReStore.
they work towards a reversal of homelessness AND huckabee supporters.
G grubedoo March 6, 2008
Tressie @ 10
A list is no more elitist than is “Favorites Subject to Change.”
Business list:
Origins 23
Computer Supply
Blackwater
Marlene’s Market
SOTA
Beautiful Angle
The Downtown YMCA
Corina Bakery
Tacoma Art Supply
The Farmer’s Market
Ball Auto
Hello Cupcake
Artifacts Consulting
exit133
Urban Grace
Russell Investments
Rusty George Creative
Paddy Coynes
King’s Books
Stadium Thriftway
Zoe
People list:
Paul Sparks
Michael Sullivan
Derek Young
Chris Sharp
Daniel Blue
Lance Kagey
Tom Llewellyn
Art Chantry
Tad Monroe
M Mofo from the Hood March 6, 2008
The whole Feed Tacoma blog concept. Priceless.
It’s science fiction to me. I wish I had two brain cells to rub together and could have at least conceived of such a dynamic entity.