Terra Firm Enough?

I suppose that the uncertainty of the ground beneath my feet is an appropriate topic for someone who has just moved to Anchorage, located in an earthquake zone where the Pacific Plate crashes into the North American Plate. And for someone who lives in an apartment building constructed so quickly and cheaply that the whole building vibrates when a washing machine goes into its spin cycle.

This morning we were watching Wolf Blitzer on CNN's The Situation Room. When we'd turned on the TV, there was a brief mention of a mid-air collision between two fixed-wing, single-engine airplanes in northeastern Ohio. Given our connections to aviation, we wanted to know more. In typical "keep 'em watching" style, Mr. Blitzer promised more information, "right after this break." Several breaks later, and several additional promises later, there was no more information.

In the midst of my building frustration, I came to understand something: how very little there is that we can trust.

Conservatives talk about liberal bias in the media, and liberals talk about conservative bias in the media, but there's a whole other kind of bias that makes the media untrustworthy: the money-making bias. People watch Martha Stewart promote her "good things" with a cynical eye, because most of the "good thing" are products available from MSO (Martha Stewart Omnimedia). But how often do we recognize that same mind-manipulating tug from the news media?

A typical newscasts has three components: commercials, "next-ups," and actual information. Time and again I watch the news because of a so-called "teaser," one of those 10-second, "Later on the news tonight, a story that will interest you" so-called "news updates." But after spending 30 minutes to an hour watching, I find myself oddly unsatisfied. During that time, I've received very little information, but I've been bombarded by all kinds of messages telling me what to eat and buy.

A few nights ago, I spent about a half hour completing a phone survey about my political views. Among other things, I was asked who I trust more to get things done, Democrats in Congress, or Republicans in Congress. I realized that the answer was neither. I usually vote for Democrats because I loathe most of what the Republican Party stands for, but I wouldn't say that I have anything resembling faith in the integrity and effectiveness of the Democrats, either.

The news media is untrustworthy, hopelessly corrupted as it is by self-interest. The political machine is worse. And on an interpersonal level, I'm discovering a perverse take on the Golden Rule: not everyone will treat me like I would treat them. In other words, just because I wouldn't lie to someone, doesn't mean that other people operate by the same standards.

One of my former spiritual directors told me once, "Trust everyone a little, and trust no one completely." Wise words.

To survive in a world where trustworthiness seems to be increasingly rare, all we can do is to slowly construct around ourselves a raft of integrity that will float on the undulating surface of this terra infirma that is our only home.

We have to start with ourselves, because within us there are faultlines of self-interest, and we would betray ourselves by betraying others. We have to work to become people of integrity, through and through.

We have to look for, and test, people who seem to be of similar mind and character.

And maybe together, slowly, we can call into being terra firm enough.

Here's hoping, anyway.