trust changes form like energy

Categories: Comparisons

An example of a simile, where a science concept is used to explain a non-sceintific concept:

"We are not in a complete trust crisis, trust is in a complete state of decline, it's more that trust is like energy, it's changing form, so, yes, we don't trust institutions, we can talk about lack of trust in politicians, but in many ways, in other areas of our lives, we're way too trusting – if you think about you know how quickly, we swipe, we tap, we make connections on line, we give our trust away quite easily….

It's more powerful to think of trust in directions or flows…so we used to sort of trust upwards, right, we used to trust authorities and experts and CEOs and people in power, and we ere quite deferential to that trust, and instead of an upwards flow of trust it's now flowing sideways."

Rachel Botsman

Rachel Botsman (Associate Fellow, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford) was interviewed on the Radio 4 news and current affairs programme 'Today' on 21st March, 2024.

Author: Keith

Former school and college science teacher, teacher educator, research supervisor, and research methods lecturer. Emeritus Professor of Science Education at the University of Cambridge.