The chief lesson I have learned in a long life is that the only way you can make a man trustworthy is to trust him and the surest way to make him untrustworthy is to distrust him.

Summary

This quote emphasizes the importance of trust in relationships. It suggests that in order to make someone trustworthy, one must initially place their trust in them. By granting trust, the person is more likely to live up to that expectation. Conversely, if one constantly doubts and distrusts others, it is more likely that this lack of faith will be reciprocated, causing someone to become untrustworthy. Thus, trust breeds trustworthiness, while distrust fosters untrustworthiness.

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