The chart below documents what most of us have been reading about..and feeling. Some personal comments follow the chart.
How Much Confidence do You have in….(%)
(Gallup Poll)
Great deal/quite a lot
|
Very little/none
|
||
Church/Organized religion
|
2018
|
38
|
27
|
1993
|
53
|
17
|
|
1973
|
65
|
11
|
|
Supreme Court
|
2018
|
37
|
18
|
1993
|
43
|
17
|
|
1973
|
45
|
17
|
|
Congress
|
2018
|
11
|
48
|
1993
|
18
|
39
|
|
1973
|
42
|
14
|
|
Organized Labor
|
2018
|
26
|
25
|
1993
|
26
|
29
|
|
1973
|
30
|
24
|
|
Business
|
2018
|
25
|
30
|
1993
|
23
|
31
|
|
1973
|
26
|
29
|
|
Public Schools
|
2018
|
29
|
27
|
1993
|
39
|
23
|
|
1973
|
58
|
11
|
|
Newspapers
|
2018
|
23
|
40
|
1993
|
31
|
25
|
|
1973
|
39
|
18
|
|
TV News
|
2018
|
20
|
45
|
1993
|
46
|
18
|
|
Military
|
2018
|
74
|
5
|
1993
|
67
|
9
|
|
1973
|
58
|
12
|
|
Presidency
|
2018
|
37
|
44
|
1993
|
43
|
23
|
|
1973
|
52
|
16
|
|
Police
|
2018
|
54
|
15
|
1993
|
52
|
12
|
Confidence_GallupPoll051419
1. It is encouraging and appropriate that confidence in the military remains high, despite the challenge represented by the long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a tribute to the men and women in our Armed Services. Also confidence in Police remains relatively high.
2. The significant drop in confidence in the Congress reflects the bitter partisanship which has impeded collaborative action.This partisanship has been enabled in part by gerrymandering which leads to candidates not needing to meet the needs of the broad electorate to get elected. They need to win their party primaries which tend to push candidates to the extreme of their party's beliefs. Gerrymandering must be overturned.
3. The sharp decline in confidence in the media (TV and newspapers) reflects the increasingly polarized reporting made possible by the numerous media channels seeking discreet, loyal audiences. This contrasts to the days when the news was delivered through 3 or 4 major news networks each of which needed to appeal to a broad audience across the political spectrum. We urgently need media forms which objectively convey honest differences in points of view on key issues.
4. The sharp decline in confidence in the Presidency in 2018 (especially the increase in negative comments) reflects the Trump presidency.
5. The decline in confidence in public schools is deeply concerning, though separate research does show people to be significantly more positive about their OWN schools.
6. The decline in confidence in church and organized religion mirrors a long term decline in people's attending religious services. I am not clear on the reasons for this. Scandals my account for part of it. More people (including some members of my own family) express the belief they are experiencing God and spirituality outside of church, for example in nature.
7. Importantly, this broad decline in confidence in many of our institutions accentuates the importance of the family as the foundational institution (which it has always been) for nurturing the sense of well being and community and mutual love and for conveying the values of mutual respect which we aim to live by.
We should take any and all action which bear on helping families achieve a sustainable existence. This will involve addressing the roots of poverty, support for early child care and development, providing affordable health care for all, eliminating criminal justice policies which needlessly break up families and confronting the drug crisis. .
I also believe this broad decline in institutional confidence, together with the desire of most if not all people to be associated with other people of high values, accentuates the importance of business leaders' pursuing a mission, and taking actions and providing a value based environment which enlivens and realizes the commitment to do the right thing, for the business, the community and fellow employees. The role of business in promoting and actualizing the values by which we want to live is more important today than ever.
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