A new Pew Research Center study found 53% of U.S. adults rated Americans’ morals and ethics as “bad,” making the U.S. the only country surveyed where that view prevailed.
Trust in other people underpins everything from civic life to everyday cooperation, so broad skepticism about neighbors’ character can shape politics, institutions and social cohesion.
Pew’s findings add an international benchmark to a long-running American debate about polarization and whether people see opponents—and even fellow citizens—as acting in good faith.
Ah, shit, I feel called out. I feel that one’s defensible in certain circumstances. The stupid underground magnet sensors never seem to detect me, it’s nearly midnight with a traffic rate of 20 cars an hour, and I can sit at that intersection for 10 minutes without the light changing…
Even without those circumstances though, stopping at a red light, ensuring the way is clear, and then proceeding seems responsible enough.