Key points

Technology removes the small human moments our brains rely on to feel safe and connected.

Ambiguous digital communication fuels misinterpretations and heightens vigilance.

Loneliness increases threat sensitivity, leading us to assume the worst about others.

We used to be a lot more trusting of others. Just a couple of generations ago, Americans reported dramatically higher levels of trust in one another and in their institutions. Surveys from the 1950s found that, at that time, roughly three-quarters of people believed the government would “do the right thing most of the time,” and about 60 percent said their neighbors were trustworthy. Today, those numbers have fallen to under one-quarter for government trust and closer to one-third for social trust. And, among younger adul

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