wallydownundy

The 2009 Trust Survey was issued by the embattled Readers Digest magazine (under bankruptcy protection in America but still powering on in Australia). In it we see a continuation of an old theme. We the people of Australia place at the top of our “most trustworthy” list people in emergency services and medical professions:

1. Ambulance officers
2. Firefighters
3. Nurses
4. Pilots
5. Pharmacists
6. Doctors
7. Veterinarians

Teachers round out the Top Ten. It isn’t until you hit #20 that a suit and tie is seen (or wig and gown) – as Judges hold that spot.

If you keep dropping further down the list of the Most Trusted Professions you see Hairdressers (#22) and Domestic Cleaners (#25).

Pop Quiz: Who is more trusted than a mechanic (#29) and less trusted than a bartender (#27)? That would be a Financial Planner (#28)!

I have a natural curiosity for the morbid – so of course I immediately honed in on the bottom of the list. Telemarketers (#40), car salesmen (#39) and politicians (#38) are at the bottom.

But bumping near the bottom of the list is the ignoble CEO (#34). They are squeezed between professional footballers (#33) and sex workers (#35). (Apologies I searched for a better verb than squeezed but couldn’t find it.)

Considering we’ve lost professional footballers to excessive drink, domestic assault, drug abuse and accusations of gang rape it’s odd to see them listed as more trustworthy than a CEO.

It shows the depths businesses have sunk to – and the fact it will take a long, long time for CEOs to climb the rungs. While they may never be as trusted as a farmer (#9) perhaps they can aim for chefs (#21). After all, foul-mouthed celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay may make it easier for the CEOs of Australia to unite and re-build their reputations.

Let’s just hope the sex workers don’t beat them to it…