Amiram Hayardeny's My China Experience

About Trust and Trsuting

Did you ever have the feeling that you are being ripped off as it was actually happening? Yet you played along since there appeared to be no choices? Here is how it played out. 

I landed in Moscow on Tuesday evening, with plenty of time to make my connection to St. Petersburg. As I got out of the overcrowded Immigration area, and collected my beat-up trolley, I went to look up the domestic airline with which I was supposed to continue my trip. Looking at my airline tickets, I suddenly realized that I have no clue what the “FV” part of flight FV160 stood for. I asked around, and this was when I got the first impression that I am taking part in a well rehearsed show. A distinguished looking guy was standing there, wearing a seemingly official badge. He took a short look at my airline ticket and immediately said that I needed to go to the other terminal, which is 15 kilometers away. As I felt something was a little off, I said I was going to look for an information booth first. He followed. The lady at the booth confirmed what he said and recommended to me that he was the person who could help me.  I don't think they were strangers to each other.

I followed him out, and I asked for the price. 2000 Rubles, he said – about $75.00. I didn't feel like I had a choice, and I did have a plane to catch, so I agreed. Out of nowhere showed up another guy in an old broken down Lada, took my suitcase, and we drove away. In about ten minutes we were at the other terminal, and unless he was driving a space shuttle, I doubt it was 15 kilometers...  I got on the flight without a problem.  By the way, I still have no clue what "FV" stands for.  I actually flew from Moscow to St. Petersburg on an airline whose name I don't know...

Lesson: indeed, Moscow has a few airports.  Air China comes in at one of them, but the domestic flight to St. Petersburg departs from anbother.  Also: people who wear badges are not necessarily officials, nor are they guaranteed to be the good guys.

A day later, I headed to the hotel from the convention center. I stopped a taxi and asked to go to the hotel. The driver said OK. I asked how much, and he said 800 Rubles  I agreed and closed the door. The driver got out of the car, took off the little yellow thing from the roof which states “Taxi”, and shoved it in the trunk. Slammed the trunk and got back in. We drove off. I realized that this was not an official taxi, that I have been conned again.

Lesson: little things are used to establish credentials and credibility. Assumptions are made based on very little information. It is almost ridiculous, how many assumptions we make based on next to nothing.

But thinking about it, this is what society means. Uniforms, badges, airport booths, all establish credibility and credentials for people who are supposed to be helpful, that potentially represent authority and the authorities. I will continue to allow myself to get fooled by these small tokens of credential building blocks. The alternative is inconceivable.

Think about it for a second: how much trust are you giving to people you don't even know?  When you drive your car, you trust the people who are driving next to you to respect the driving laws.  When you drive through an intersection, you assume that the other guys are going to respect the red light, and stay clear.  When you go to the store, you trust that while people want to make a living, they are not out to get you.  You trust that the airline pilots aren't drinking, and that the technicians really check the airplane before you take off.



So, despite of the two clowns who betrayed my trust, I will continue to trust people, at least until they prove not to be trustworthy.  Fool me once - shame on you.  Fool me twice - shame on me.
 

Posted at 05:33PM Apr 12, 2007 by Amiram Hayardeny in Personal  |  Comments[1]