The Marshmallow Test: Trust Issues Start Young
What if I told you some kids fail the Marshmallow Test not because they lack self-control, but because theyāve already figured out adults are about as trustworthy as a raccoon guarding an open bag of chips? Why wait for a second marshmallow when the adult in charge looks like theyāre about to eat it themselves? These kids arenāt impulsiveātheyāre just realists in a world where promises vanish faster than campaign slogans after election day.
Promises, Patience, and Sweet Lies
For those who missed the memo, the Marshmallow Test is a famous psychological experiment where kids are given a choice: eat one marshmallow now or wait 15 minutes and get two. Itās often seen as a predictor of future success, and every parent secretly hopes their child will resist that marshmallow, picturing it as the golden ticket to Ivy League diplomas, corner offices, and a perfectly polished future. But hereās the kicker: kids donāt wait because theyāre born with superhuman willpower; they wait because they trust that the second marshmallow will actually show up.
Trump and the Case of the Vanishing Marshmallows
And that brings us to Trump. His presidency was like throwing kids into a Marshmallow Test with an adult who keeps saying, āJust wait a little longer,ā while sneakily scarfing down all the marshmallows behind their back, and after you waited and thereās no marshmallow left, theyād declare, āThe dealās off.ā Whether it was pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement, reversing healthcare protections, or rolling back rights for marginalized groups, his policies created an environment where no one could trust what tomorrow might bring.
Short-Term Thinking: The Ultimate Buzzkill
This isnāt just bad governance; itās psychological sabotage. When people lose faith in the future, they stop investing in it. Businesses delay innovationāwhy take risks when regulations flip-flop every four years? Families postpone major life decisionsājust look at how birth rates dropped during COVID-19 as financial and health uncertainties skyrocketed. Society becomes stuck in short-term thinking, grabbing at immediate gains instead of planning for long-term success.
Macron, Sarkozy, and Europeās Trust Meltdown
And letās not pretend this is just an American issueāEurope has its own cautionary tales weād be wise to avoid. Remember Macron dissolving Franceās National Assembly after his party lost its majority? He promised voters their voices would shape governance but then failed to appoint a government reflecting their choices. Or Sarkozy, who pushed France into joining a European treaty despite voters rejecting it in a referendum? These moves didnāt just undermine democracyāthey shattered public trust in institutions and leadership itself.
Kierkegaard Was Right (But Marshmallows Prove It)
Philosopher SĆøren Kierkegaard once said, āLife can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.ā Trust is what allows us to live forwardsāto make sacrifices today because we believe theyāll pay off tomorrow. When leaders like Trump (or Macron or Sarkozy) undermine that trust, they donāt just disrupt progress; they erode our collective ability to plan for a better future.
The Real Lesson of the Marshmallow Test: Snack Now or Later?
Isnāt the real lesson of the Marshmallow Test less about patience and more about trust? I mean, whoās going to wait for a second marshmallow if youāre not even sure itās comingāare we optimists for holding out, or just realists who know when to grab the first snack and run?