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 they’ve 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 they’re about to eat it themselves? These kids aren’t impulsive—they’re 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. It’s 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 here’s the kicker: kids don’t wait because they’re 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, “Just wait a little longer,” while sneakily scarfing down all the marshmallows behind their back, and after you waited and there’s no marshmallow left, they’d declare, “The deal’s off.” 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 isn’t just bad governance; it’s psychological sabotage. When people lose faith in the future, they stop investing in it. Businesses delay innovation—why take risks when regulations flip-flop every four years? Families postpone major life decisions—just 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 Europe’s Trust Meltdown

And let’s not pretend this is just an American issue—Europe has its own cautionary tales we’d be wise to avoid. Remember Macron dissolving France’s 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 didn’t just undermine democracy—they shattered public trust in institutions and leadership itself.

Kierkegaard Was Right (But Marshmallows Prove It)

Philosopher Søren Kierkegaard once said, “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” Trust is what allows us to live forwards—to make sacrifices today because we believe they’ll pay off tomorrow. When leaders like Trump (or Macron or Sarkozy) undermine that trust, they don’t 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?

Isn’t the real lesson of the Marshmallow Test less about patience and more about trust? I mean, who’s going to wait for a second marshmallow if you’re not even sure it’s coming—are we optimists for holding out, or just realists who know when to grab the first snack and run?