The Roots of Our Distrust

I saw a comment online that said, “I just wish the government would stop stealing from me. I can manage my own retirement.” I do not read that as anger for its own sake. I read it as frustration from someone who feels they are paying into a system that does not seem to serve them. It is hard to blame anyone for that. If you spend your entire working life watching money leave your paycheck without seeing much come back, the word “stealing” can feel emotionally accurate even if it is not technically accurate.