if I trust you, it’s because I believe that you are going to take my interests seriously – whether it be for friendship, love, money or reputation. Why? You won’t take advantage of me because it benefits you not to do so. ‘You value the continuation of our relationship, and you therefore have your own interests in taking my interest into account,’ Hardin writes in Trust and Trustworthiness.20 For instance, I trusted the estate agent who recently sold my house to get a good price not because she was nice or cared about me but because her commission was directly tied to the sale price.
