Trust

What is it about trusting others that enables people to have so little integrity?  How did it ever end up that putting trust in another person meant that ultimately you would be disappointed?  I wonder if this has always been so and the ideal is simply a notion that has no basis in the real world.  Otherwise cliche's such as 'dog eat dog world' wouldn't exist, right?  Generosity isn't appreciated, it is taken advantage of.  Dedication and loyalty are found so infrequently as to be almost non-existent.  Well, I decided to push back and not trust to someone elses integrity.  I've been taken advantage of too often perhaps.  But nothing is truly worth the benefit to someone else at my expense.  We shall see.  I am sad.  I am disappointed.  But I am also empowered.  I am saying that I am not going to give what is mine to someone simply because I want some thing.  They can meet me half-way and be fair.