“And now, folks, it’s time for “Who do you trust?” Hubba, hubba, hubba! Money, money, money! Who do you trust? Me? I’m giving away free money. And where is the Batman? HE’S AT HOME WASHING HIS TIGHTS!”
The Joker
Like free beer, free money is sure to pull in a crowd.
It’s A Trap:
The Joker goes on to pump toxic gas into the streets, killing off the trusting people of Gotham City.
It’s interesting how we use the word trust. We elevate its meaning and then sell it to the highest bidder.
Did the people of Gotham City fail to recognize that the Joker was a deranged killer?
We crave trust. It’s comforting to trust. We can let our guard down and relax around people we trust.
I’ve heard that “trust arrives by foot and leaves by Ferrari,” but I don’t buy it. Trust arrives more quickly than we’d like to admit.
If the price is right.
The Joker’s Parade is a simple concept. Lure people in and then wipe them out.
It’s easier than you think, just tell them what they want to hear.
This scenario plays out all the time. Often revolving around money or status—threads that are easily pulled.
It’s probably happened to you.
Cheap Trust:
You might think you have a grasp on these matters, that you don’t readily give away your trust on the cheap.
You might be surprised.
Have you ever tried something new simply because it was on sale? A coupon, a discount code? Signing up for text alerts to get 12% off your first purchase is trading your trust—for a bargain.
How else can you explain the $500 worth of grass-fed meat that just showed up on your doorstep?
A podcaster vouched for it, selling their trust in the process. That’s exactly the Joker I’m referring to—luring you in.
Liver King anyone?
The Liver King, formerly known as Brian, sold liver pills that would presumably get you super jacked. Patrons were shocked to find out it wasn’t the liver but the steroids that did the heavy lifting. Until then, they trusted this random dude on the internet.
Trust in exchange for transformation.
And what about that visor-wearing jerk, Troy Perkins? How does he get Andy?
The exchange is clear. You trust Troy Perkins because that red Ford Mustang GT is a pretty sweet way to get around Astoria. The problem is that Troy comes with it.
Trust in exchange for status.
Back in 2004, I sold subprime mortgages without a clue of what I was doing. Yet people still chose to trust me with their financial future.
Why?
Low rates, no fees, minimal red tape. Stated income, stated value. These people could have opted for a reputable firm and a true professional, but they trusted me.
Do you trust this guy?
Here’s another example from the world of finance. Do you trust this guy? Many did.
Now, imagine him with face paint.
My point is that we throw around the word “trust” as if it holds profound meaning. In reality, trust comes easily, and even when it’s broken, people are willing to give second chances.
Trust is a commodity that we trade for things we want.
Trust is our default mode of operation.
Life without trust is burdensome, it slows everything down.
Trust opens us up to pain and betrayal, but we continue on because it beats the alternatives.
“Be careful who you put your faith in. The only people who can betray us are the ones we trust.”
Maria, The Last of Us
You see it once, and you’ll start to see it everywhere. And at that point, it all gets much easier to avoid. For you, your family, your business, and even your country.
William Dodd in Hitler’s Berlin:
Let’s discuss William Dodd, the US Ambassador in Hitler’s Berlin. He and the State Department trusted Hitler. Why?
Money.
They needed Hitler and Germany to pay their debts to the United States’ creditors.
Hitler told Dodd what he wanted to hear, and despite all the news in the country telling him otherwise, despite his own eyes witnessing otherwise, it felt good to hear that everything was going to be alright. The bills would be paid.
Everything was not alright.
Do you trust your wife?
Remember the scene in “The Shawshank Redemption” where Andy Dufresne asks Captain Hadley if he trusts his wife?
“You’re that smart banker who killed his wife, aren’t you? Why should I believe a smart banker like you? So I can end up in here with you?”
Hadley went from throwing Andy off the plate factory roof to complete and total trust in just under a minute, all for the price of some tax preparation. In this case, that was a bucket of beers.
The Joker’s Parade:
People often find themselves in this situation, selling trust instead of earning it.
And the buyers are abundant.
Are you unwittingly walking into the Joker’s Parade?
Lights, music, promises, and cash raining down from the sky. This scene plays out daily.
We often say that trust is built over time, through consistent action. But the truth is, people exchange trust for money and money for trust all the time.
A free drink. A can’t-miss investment. A bid that comes in at half the price. We love a good deal, obsess over a great one, and become infatuated with the impossible.
Bernie Madoff was trusted.
So was Arthur Andersen.
What did they have in common? Money. Status too.
So, get off your high horse.
Your desires fool you, not the Joker. You are tempted, convinced, and eventually compromised because it feels so damn good.
You’ll trust just about anyone if the price is right.
Or maybe after reading this, you’ll see it in yourself.
Caveat emptor. Buyer beware. Call it what you will.
I call it the Joker’s Parade.
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