Levels of trust in this country -- in our institutions, in our politics, and in one another -- are in precipitous decline. And when social trust collapses, nations fail.
~ David Brooks
Every once in a while, I find myself reflecting upon my tendency towards skepticism.
I want to change the lens through which I see things. I aspire to be more trusting.
Trust is earned
The glue that holds all relationships together -- including the relationship between the leader and the led -- is trust, and trust is based on integrity.
~ Brian Tracy
A few days ago I came across a headline about Health Canada finally banning brominated vegetable oil (BVO).
My immediate reaction was shock that it has taken this long.
Toxicity studies by the Canadian Food and Drug Directorate in 1969, led the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States to remove BVO from the Generally Regarded as Safe list.
Among other public health responsibilities, Health Canada is charged with ensuring the safety of our food supply.
Brominated vegetable oil is a type of oil that has been modified by the addition of bromine.
Bromine is ubiquitous in our environment. It is a halogen that competes with iodine for uptake and utilization.
Having suffered from thyroid issues in the past, I learned to minimize exposure to halogens like bromine and fluorine.
Still found in many beverages in Canada and the US, brominated vegetable oil has been the subject of safety investigations for decades. It is used in soft drink production to prevent flavours from separating.
The additive is linked to bromism, a condition characterized by headache, fatigue, neurologic issues, and progressive memory loss in humans.
In a 2022 study, 6-week-old rats fed brominated vegetable oil experienced enlarged thyroid glands and detectible levels of bromine in major organs.
Japan banned BVO in 2010, following earlier bans in the UK (1970), India (1990), and the EU (2008).
While I am applauding the ban in Canada, it is disingenuous that it has taken decades of regulatory inaction to protect Canadians from this hazardous chemical.
One incident of mistrust that has served me well
Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.
~ Albert Einstein
Regarding food and drugs, my mistrust of Public Health advice has served me well.
Healthy skepticism about additives like BVO is partly why my children - now in their thirties - never drank pop.
A desire to understand and learn is characteristic of a skeptical mindset.
Healthy skepticism promotes critical thinking and constructive action.
I remind myself, that there is a difference between cynicism and skepticism.
The cynical mindset tends to mistrust everything and views the world through a negative lens. It assumes the worst about people’s motives and actions. It is close-minded and resistant to new information.
Unlike skepticism, cynicism can be a barrier to productive dialogue and progress.
I don't think I'm a cynic. I believe people are inherently good. Circumstance can bring out the best or worst in them. Trust engenders trustworthiness.
Somehow, I think that when the lens through which I see things becomes more trusting, trust, which has been unprecedentedly eroded, will naturally resume.
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