The problem with distrust caused by the Santa lie (for example) is that adults don’t believe in Santa. If everyone believed in Santa (or paid lip service to the

The problem with distrust caused by the Santa lie (for example) is that adults don’t believe in Santa. If everyone believed in Santa (or paid lip service to the belief, at least, which is how it always goes with religion, etc) then it would just be a nice cultural element that wouldn’t cause any distrust.