Trust is a beautiful concept. Everyone likes the person who assumes the best of others. But how many people do you know that have no locks on their doors, leave their keys in their car, and openly share their ATM pin number? It is because, like it or not, trust must be earned.
It’s okay to keep some things close to the vest. Actually, it’s more than okay. It is good. The law of supply and demand tells us rarity increases value. After all, at the end of the day, much of the intoxication of the naked human form is due to the rarity of the sight. The vulnerability of it.
But trust isn’t only about value, it’s strategically intelligent. An example? You lose every hand of poker when they know all your cards.
The colonies had no right to defeat the British. But the colonists knew the British. Their formations. Their weapons. The color of their uniforms. We knew the cards the British were holding.
Don’t share all your secrets. You only have so many. Choose wisely when you give one away, and be even wiser when choosing the recipient.