Most people operate with shields up...  if we're vulnerable, we could be attacked, hurt, or proven wrong.  But of course that will happen anyway.  What you do next, in the face of failure or attack says much about who you are.

I love Star Trek and watch it often.  Interestingly, their default position is shields down.  Trust in the inherent goodness of the universe is their default.

What if it was ours?