We're not supposed to trust others. Look at the headlines. Read the
blogs. Study the survey data. It seems that everyone is wary, that
everyone is just looking out for themselves. But a sense of social trust
and togetherness can be restored.
In The Leap, bestselling author Ulrich Boser shows how the emerging
research on trust can improve our lives, rebuild our economy, and
strengthen society. As part of this engaging and deeply reported
narrative, Boser visits a radio soap opera in Rwanda that aims to
restore the country's broken trust, profiles the man who brought honesty
to one of the most corrupt cities in Latin America, and explains how a
college dropout managed to con his way into American high society. Boser
even goes skydiving to see if the experience will increase his levels of
oxytocin, the so-called "trust hormone."
A powerful mix of hard science and compelling storytelling, The Leap
explores how we trust, why we trust, and what we can all do to deepen
social trust. The book includes insightful policy recommendations along
with surprising new data on the state of social trust in America today.