Trust in Institutions and the Rise of Public Skepticism

Tendai Rungano

So, you know, when we talk about trust in government, it’s fascinating to consider how, historically, liberals have been the ones... I mean, the ones who upheld this idea that government should, and could, be a force for good. But in the years following Trump’s administration, there’s been this—this undeniable shift, right?

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

Right. And not just a shift. It feels like... well, like a reckoning. People who used to believe the government was sort of a safety net—they’re questioning that entirely now.

Tendai Rungano

Exactly. With conservatives, skepticism has always been tied to this ideological stance—distrust towards an institution they perceived as overreaching. But with liberals... they saw themselves as aligned with government ideals. Now? They’re skeptical because they feel, perhaps for the first time, that the government might not be acting in their interest at all.

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

You know, it reminds me of something I went through when I first arrived in the US as a refugee. I—I bought into the belief that if you followed the process, the system would take care of you. We were told we’d have resources, a new beginning. But... there were so many broken promises. It wasn’t malicious, maybe just—just systemic failures... but it left me wondering who I could trust to get it right.

Tendai Rungano

That hits the core of it, doesn’t it? The idea that institutions—no matter how established—might crumble just when you need them most. And for the broader society, this unease moves beyond personal anecdotes. It’s larger. It’s structural. It’s this anxiety about, well, everything we once took for granted.

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

Yeah. Like, I think of food safety, or even just having clean drinking water. These were things you didn’t question because... the system was doing its job, out of sight and out of mind. Now, it’s different. It’s like people have to double-check everything, take on extra mental and emotional labor just to feel safe. It’s exhausting.

Tendai Rungano

And that exhaustion... it creates this pressure. Some people retreat—they check out of civic engagement entirely, thinking, “What’s the point?” But then, there are others—

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

—who do the opposite, right? They start organizing, protesting. It’s almost like they’re saying, “If you won’t protect us in the way you promised, we’ll build our own protections.”

Tendai Rungano

Precisely. And what’s intriguing is how this reflects in activism. It doesn’t follow the old patterns anymore. Now, you see coalitions forming that just didn’t exist a decade ago. Environmentalists teaming up with labor unions, young activists coordinating globally... It’s... it’s dynamic, unprecedented.

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

Yeah, but it’s also fragile. Like, these movements are powerful, but they’re fighting against decades of deeply entrenched systems. The odds are so stacked, it’s like... we’re seeing resilience, but there’s this underlying fragility, too.

Tendai Rungano

Which is why this period we’re in? It’s so critical. The future—not just of trust but of governance itself—could depend on whether these movements grow stronger or if this wave of skepticism tears everything apart instead.

Tendai Rungano

Speaking of trust in systems, have you heard about the FDA's recent decision to allow AI systems to take over certain drug safety processes? No more mandatory animal testing. They’re saying AI can do it faster, more accurately. It’s such a fascinating shift—one that really tests how much faith people have in technology to get it right.

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

Faster, sure. But... more accurately? That’s where I feel uneasy. Like, we’re putting critical decisions in the hands of algorithms that—we don’t even fully understand how they make those choices sometimes. It’s a black box.

Tendai Rungano

And that’s the heart of the matter, isn’t it? The public confidence in AI handling something as high-stakes as drug safety. Historically, when governments adopted 'cutting-edge' technology too quickly, at times it led to serious consequences, especially for marginalized communities who bore the brunt of those failures.

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

Absolutely. And I mean, you can’t ignore the ethical concerns. Like, okay, you’re replacing animal testing, which is good morally, for many people. But then the alternative… it’s not exactly putting humans in the center, is it? It feels like policy is jumping ahead of accountability.

Tendai Rungano

True, but you could also argue, historically—

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

—Oh, like with medical trials in, say, mid-century Africa, right?

Tendai Rungano

Precisely. There were countless cases where supposed technological or medical advancements ignored systemic vulnerabilities. And when things collapsed, the repercussions were felt for generations. It’s a pattern.

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

Yeah, it’s a pattern. And now it’s like we’re seeing it evolve for a new era, dressed up as progress. But when you think about trust, how is the average person supposed to feel secure when not even experts agree on the implications of AI use in these systems?

Tendai Rungano

That’s just it. Trust doesn't just happen—it takes years of proving reliability in silence, not spectacle. And AI? It’s anything but silent right now. Every decision is under a spotlight, every mistake magnified.

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

And magnified for good reason! People’s lives are at stake here. Can you imagine... waiting to take a new life-saving drug, wondering if the algorithm evaluating it... well, if it missed something crucial?

Tendai Rungano

The unease isn’t unwarranted. As complex as these systems are, the push to let machines make ethical calls—it requires more oversight, not less. Government watchdogs historically acted as intermediaries, building public confidence. Lose that, and it’s not just the FDA—it’s any institution embracing tech prematurely that risks collapse in trust.

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

Which makes me think—this is less about being anti-technology and more about ensuring humans keep accountability at the center. I don’t know, Tendai. Sometimes I feel we rush forward because, well, it feels like we "have to" innovate without pausing long enough to ask... should we?

Tendai Rungano

And that pause? It's where the real ethical questions surface. Unfortunately, speeding past them has always been the easier route.

Tendai Rungano

You know, Jae, speaking of trust, it’s not just about medical systems. Institutions like the FDIC—they’ve quietly been about reliability, ensuring people don’t wake up one day to find their savings gone. But now, there are cracks forming, and it’s making everyone ask... can these systems hold under pressure?

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

Yeah... and people are feeling that shift in their day-to-day lives, though they might not name it outright. It’s not just about big crashes or dramatic headlines. It’s waking up and wondering if your basic assumptions—your bank account, your clean air, your safe food—are still... still solid.

Tendai Rungano

Precisely. And, you know, the last time we saw such foundational shakiness in institutions was, arguably, during the Great Depression. Back then, it was sheer chaos. People lost their savings, their homes, their livelihoods. Out of that, we constructed safeguards, like the FDIC, precisely to avoid such a catastrophe ever happening again.

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

And now here we are, dismantling those very safeguards. It’s... it’s almost surreal when you think about it. But Tendai, I have to wonder—do you think the parallels are a warning? Like, are we heading toward another collapse, or is this just fear making everything feel amplified?

Tendai Rungano

Well, history doesn’t repeat itself exactly, but it has a way of rhyming. The warning signs are there—the fragility in trust, the gaps widening between institutions and the public. And while we may not see bread lines like the 1930s, the fear today manifests differently. For instance, the spiraling cost of living or losing faith in institutions. It chips away at the social fabric.

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

And that lack of faith multiplies uncertainty. People start looking out only for themselves, stuffing cash in their mattresses instead of, I don’t know, believing the system will save them like it’s supposed to. It’s exhausting trying to decide if it’s wiser to trust or to prepare for the worst.

Tendai Rungano

Indeed. And that exhaustion—it weakens the collective ability to demand accountability. Historically, when institutions crumble, it’s partly because the public loses the energy, the will, to push back. But I think... I think we’re also seeing incredible resilience in how people adapt, despite it all.

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

Yeah, they adapt... but the question is, how sustainable is that? I mean, building trust takes decades, but destroying it can happen overnight. And right now, we’ve got this global sense of distrust—not just in government but across sectors like media, education, corporations. It feels overwhelming.

Tendai Rungano

True, but maybe there’s also a glimmer of hope in that overwhelming feeling. Historically, when people have been pushed to the brink, they innovate. The Great Depression saw the creation of monumental systems to protect the vulnerable. Maybe this period of unease is the precursor to something transformative.

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

Hmm... a transformation built on the realization that we can’t just rely on the old promises. We have to actively shape what comes next. It’s scary, but it’s also empowering, in a way. If we hold on to that... maybe there’s a chance.

Tendai Rungano

Maybe there is. And on that note, I think we’ve covered a lot today, Jae. From the erosion of trust to the vulnerabilities of our institutions, to the parallels—and lessons—we can draw from history. If there’s one takeaway for our listeners, it’s this: rebuilding trust starts with acknowledgment and action. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s necessary.

Ji-hye 'Jae' Park

Absolutely. And as heavy as it all seems, these conversations—we’ve gotta keep having them. Together, we figure out the way forward. And that’s all for today. Great talking with you as always, Tendai.

Tendai Rungano

Likewise, Jae. And thank you to our listeners for joining us. Until next time, take care.