Karin Bornett
Distrust Society is considered to be mega trend. Futurologists assume that this development will shape society in the long term. The term describes the distrust of politics and the economy. This distrust of Society According to experts, it will become one of the greatest hurdles in the knowledge society.
Where this mistrust comes from can be explained quite simply: The sources of information, which have been increasing steadily since the invention of the Internet, can no longer be overlooked in their sheer number, anonymity and a lack of fact-checking also make information increasingly opaque.
Today everyone can spread information and, for example, uncover grievances. But truth and hoax are not always clearly identifiable. Information often contradicts each other. This and the opaque network of interests behind the reports make more and more people skeptics (or Conspiracy theorist), trend researchers are certain.
distrust society: trust differs Chaos
The trend research company Trendone for example, identifies the growing desire to evade political and economic interests. The need for self-protection would also be transferred to digital identity. Because people don't trust institutions and companies to handle their data either. "The lack of transparency of large institutions in dealing with customer data drives the idea of a consciously anonymous life and makes the free Internet the first front against surveillance," writes Trendone.
The basis of trust in central institutions is crumbling. According to futurologists, we are headed for a chaotic society in which the credibility of experts is confronted with numerous misinformation. The Distrust Society is an international phenomenon, the degree of which is not yet foreseeable. This also goes hand in hand with positive macro trends such as ethical brands or total transparency:
The Distrust Society's macro trends
- Blockchain: The technology is particularly tamper-proof and thus meets the growing skepticism. "Trust is therefore an integral advantage of the technology and can make intermediaries such as banks or state institutions superfluous," says von Trendone.
- Digital Currencies: Government and digital currencies compete. Trend researchers are convinced that this will significantly change retail and finance.
- Ethical brands: Products and companies with a social mission position themselves more credibly than their competitors. Brands become moral authorities.
- Neo Politics: Digitization should increase citizen participation again and curb the population's disaffection with politics.
- PostPrivacy: The conscious handling of your own data becomes a lifestyle. Offers that preserve data sovereignty are trendy.
- Total transparency: The greatest possible transparency becomes a competitive advantage for companies and develops from a unique selling point to a standard.
- Trusted content: New tools for verifying media content.
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