A Matter of Trust

Technology. It allows us to do many things quickly and efficiently. Still, I have trust issues with it. Or, rather, technology has given me trust issues with, uh, me.

At one time I would add up a list of numbers all on my own. No help from a calculator was necessary. Years ago a customer might come into the Shop and want 6, 7, 10 items, and I'd write out an invoice, add it all up, multiply the total for the sales tax, and Bob's yer uncle, land on a figure which I completely trusted. I completely trusted it because I could do basic math.

In my defense, I still can. Yet now that we have calculators everywhere, even on our cell phones, I have to pull the program up and do the math, well, I suppose mechanically. Hell, if it's one cutting tool I still get out the calculator to multiply the price by .06 for the tax.

I can still do the math. I'm still pretty good at it too. But I no longer trust me. I fear the mistake which might cost me or the customer money. Thanks, technology.

Trust, but Verify

President Ronald Reagan, among his many famous quips, once said about why oversight was needed with treaties, "Trust, but verify." You can trust your treaty partners well enough while still independently making sure everything's on the level.

I think of that every Saturday. I typically take me Mom to the 4 o'clock Mass at our Church. Me brother Phil, who oversees her finances (and is, I assure you, the model of trustworthy) gives me her donation envelope for the usual collection. 

When the time for collection comes around, I take the envelopes, hers and mine, from my pocket and give hers to her, so that she can place it in the basket and get the sense of fulfillment in helping the Church. But she always, always takes it from me and opens it immediately, to see that the money is there. She does this without fail, even to the point occasionally of taking the bill out, checking it over, and placing it back in the envelope.

I find it funny, in a cutesy way. She trusts Phil with everything and is not comfortable without his approval of things. But she has to check that envelope. 

Trust but verify. I don't mean that to reflect poorly towards anyone. Indeed, I actually find it rather endearing.