if politicians don’t start prioritizing the restoration of a high trust society in America, then we are doomed

core problems which need to be addressed:

- re-criminalize theft
- prosecute crime consistently
- address mental health / drug crisis
- invest heavily in early childhood education
- support local community building

i’ve spent the past week in Southeast Asia (Bangkok) and the differences could not be more stark. yes, there is wealth inequality and corruption here etc., and it’s not a perfect society

BUT you can generally walk around and feel safe. it’s even a lot cleaner than you would expect for a place which rapidly industrialized over the past 30 years

and the culture is generally one of kindness and communal respect. you don’t have drugged out people yelling at you on the street or threatening you

i do think Asian cultures in general prioritize community and familial bonds much more than American culture, and a lot of our problems are actually downstream of this