At least the article makes me discount the blowback I get when I claim the US to slipping towards a low trust society.
Notable Home Depot has motion sensitive cameras in the tool area that beep to remind me that the owners of the store think I'm a thief. They also remind me to buy my tools online.
Or used! I get most of my power tools used/refurbished.
I get what you're saying about the US becoming low-trust. This is just another example. I feel like it's the same kind of thing when a city erects hostile architecture.