Trust is a powerful emotion and can easily be manipulated. In Shakespeare's Tragedy Othello the Moor of Venice the character Iago uses trust as his sword. Othello is so easily duped by Iago because of his carefully built reputation of being honest. Iago studies each character and he knows each weakness. "What should I do? I confess it is my shame to be so fond; but it is not in my virtue to amend it". (847) This was words from Rodrigo to Iago letting Iago know his feelings toward Desmona and giving Iago a tool to use it against him.

Trusting people is a risk. Human beings are notoriosly forgetful, unreliable, and imperfect. Most of us come from backgrounds where betrayal and insensitivity among friends were common occurences. People are not always trustworthy, yet we must trust them. How do we do that, given the evidence of our past...