Comic 819 -- A Question of Trust

Trust is a complicated issue...

It's a well-understood issue with the English language that the word "love" is a definitional nightmare. The word covers so many experiences and complex emotional states that, in desperation, we sometimes resort to ancient Greek in order to try to bring a little bit more clarity.

"Trust," to me, is equally fraught. Especially when someone says "Do you trust me?" Or, even worse, the more defensive, "Don't you trust me?"

For example: "Don't you trust me to do the taxes?" (I chose this honor of the month.)

This would generally delivered a way to mean: "Don't you think I'm honest enough?" But one can completely trust someone's honesty while, at the same time, knowing they are terrible at math. The "No" answer might be off-putting in the latter case, or hurtful in the former, but unless one goes out of one's way to add more context, the word "trust" can't bear the load of the question.

In a way, asking Sharon "Do you not trust your sister?" is far more complex than "Do you not love your sister?" would be. 

The Curmen sisters are dealing with it all the best they can.