Meaningful trust requires expectations particular to the specific person, not generalized optimism.

Evidence

At the individual level, my trust of you must be grounded in expectations that are particular to you, not merely in generalized expectations. If I always trust everyone or if I always act from generalized expectations, then I do not meaningfully trust anyone. Trust is therefore in part inherently a rational assessment. My expectations about your behavior may be grounded in my belief in your morality or reciprocity or self-interest. With no prior knowledge of you, I may initially risk treating you as though I trust you, but our relationship can eventually be one of trust only if there are expectations that ground the trust. — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 109

Categorization

• DEFINE: Establishes trust as inherently particularized and rational, not a general disposition.
• XREF: Connects to the blindness scenario: in Saramago, generalized helplessness cannot substitute for particularized trust in the doctor’s wife.