9 September 2024 : Daily Answer Writing
Q1) In this hyperconnected and morally interdependent world, the most important thing we can share is trustworthiness.” Why is trustworthiness important? In what ways can it be imbibed in an individual?
(150 Words/10 Marks)
ANS
Trustworthiness is a moral value which is considered to be a virtue of the highest order in an individual.
A trustworthy person is someone in whom you can place your trust and rest assured that the trust will not be betrayed. In an intricately connected world where each of our actions influence the others, trustworthiness holds immense relevance.
The importance of trustworthiness can be seen from:
- Fosters societal cohesion: Trustworthiness as a virtue in the society promotes societal cohesion and harmony. A society where people trust each other will not develop communal cleavages.
E.g., if there is trust between two communities, they cannot be manipulated for vested interests of a third party.
- Interpersonal relationships: Trustworthiness is of primal importance for forging sustainable interpersonal relationships.
E.g., trust between friends deepens the bond of friendship; trustworthiness is a necessary quality for a happy marital life.
- Pillar of representative democracy: Trustworthiness is the essence of parliamentary democracy, where the electorates entrust their representatives. E.g., MPs/MLAs lobbying for the interest of their constituents in a democratic manner.
- Harmonious international relations: Trustworthiness as a trait allows a nation to build harmonious and productive international relations.
E.g., India, due to its trustworthiness, is seen as the voice of the global south.
- Importance in governance:
- Trust enables public officials to work in coordination and take actions to promote national interest and empower society.
E.g., trustworthiness between government departments will lead to sharing of critical intelligence.
- Trustworthiness as a quality in a civil servant will ensure a higher degree of public trust, thus enabling better governance.
E.g., trustworthiness in a DM will aid him in heralding social transformations with public’s support
Trustworthiness is a virtue that can be imbibed in individuals through following ways:
- Trust begets trust: In order to make a person trustworthy, it is important to give the person the opportunity to develop trustworthiness. E.g., trusting your colleagues/juniors with important work/tasks.
- Socialization: The trust is imbibed through the process of socialization when an individual learns societal norms and values through family and peer groups E.g., learning the importance of societal commitments; helping a friend in need.
- Role of educational institutions: Educational institutions have a vital role in building the values of trustworthiness in individuals. E.g., teaching anecdotes from the lives of famous personalities like Abdul Hamid; moral education through jataka stories, panchtantra; sports activities etc.
- Training: Trustworthiness can also be imbibed through training. E.g., the armed forces imbibe trustworthiness through training modules where the element of trust is vital for the team to survive as a whole.
Trustworthiness comes from trusting others and winning trust of others. Trustworthiness is as vital for an individual as it is for a society and a nation.
