Commentary A recent trip to a local hairdresser’s shop exposed the tensions that are straining the bonds of social cohesion and institutional trust in today’s Australia. Working in a salon in Western Australia, the chatty, young hairdresser paused to flex an aching arm before unleashing a torrent of discontent. She said her arm was killing her; she felt awful and wished she was home in bed. She hadn’t wanted “the jab” but succumbed to keep her job. She had disliked the frosty treatment received at her local medical centre. Her equally hesitant sister accompanied her and was feeling similarly unwell 48 hours after their shots. Just four or five days later, I encountered a mate from my distant undergraduate past during an evening commute. I hadn’t seen him in over two years. He seemed glad to see me, knowing I teach university students about the safe use of medicines for …