People are untrustworthy or is it just our bad judgement?

I love the perspective of Anthony de Mello when he says that its is not that people are untrustworthy but it is more about our lack of understanding of human nature and our own bad judgement.

In other words it is as much our fault as theirs when they let us down. In fact, he is putting it stronger than that - it is totally our fault.

You may not agree. It's hard to swallow but worth reflecting on :-)

A young man came to complain that his girlfriend had let him down, that she had played false. What are you complaining about? Did you expect any better?

Expect the worst, you're dealing with selfish people. You're the idiot -- you glorified her, didn't you? You thought she was a princess, you thought people were nice.

They're not! They're not nice. They're as bad as you are -- bad, you understand? They're asleep like you. And what do you think they are going to seek? Their own self-interest, exactly like you. No difference.

Can you imagine how liberating it is that you'll never be disillusioned again, never be disappointed again? You'll never feel let down again. Never feel rejected.

Want to wake up? You want happiness? You want freedom?

Here it is: Drop your false ideas. See through people. If you see through yourself, you will see through everyone. Then you will love them.

Otherwise you spend the whole time grappling with your wrong notions of them, with your illusions that are constantly crashing against reality.

Credit: Awareness by Anthony de Mello