This seems mostly like a positive spin on "don't actually trust", though. I think if you're not willing to base your actions on the assumption of truth/good faith, you're not really trusting in any meaningful sense.
> This seems mostly like a positive spin on "don't actually trust"
Yes, it's exactly what it has evolved to in some communities ("don't trust, verify"). However, people realize that totally eliminating trust is unrealistic or infeasible at best, and counterproductive or harmful at worst. Trust must be assumed initially, but nevertheless, independent verification and accountability is still a good idea, hence "trust, but verify".
I've explained the history of the quote in another comment, be sure to read it.
