In “Why Rich Kids Are So Good at the Marshmallow Test,” a TEDx talk by researcher and author Dr. Anindya Kundu (2017), he talks on how, in the well-known marshmallow experiment, socioeconomic status influences a child’s capacity to defer gratification. According to Kundu, while wealthier children typically perform better on the marshmallow test, this isn’t because of natural capabilities or aptitudes; rather, it’s because they have more resources and skills that help with long-term planning and self-control. In order to level the playing field and offer all children the best shot for success, Kundu contends that we must give them these tools and resources. He gives audiences motivational stories of underprivileged kids who have succeeded in acquiring these talents and exhorts them to see the potential in every kid, regardless of their socioeconomic situation.
The “Don’t Eat the Marshmallow” TED Talk is a presentation by Joachim de Posada (2009), a motivational speaker and author. In this talk, de Posada explores psychologist Walter Mischel’s well-known “marshmallow experiment,” which examined children’s capacity for delayed gratification. Children who were able to hold out for a higher incentive later in the experiment by not eating a marshmallow were shown to be more successful in life. De Posada uses this experiment to highlight the significance of self-control and delayed gratification in achieving both personal and professional success. He also offers several amusing tales and helpful advice for cultivating these traits. Ultimately, de Posada’s speech exhorts listeners to forgo the lure of short-term gratification in order to pursue long-term objectives.
The two works, “Don’t Eat the Marshmallow” by Joachim de Posada and “Why Rich Kids Are So Good at the Marshmallow Test” by Anindya Kundu, both focus on the famous marshmallow experiment and the concept of delayed gratification. While Kundu underscores the impact of socioeconomic status on children’s capacity to develop these abilities, de Posada emphasizes the significance of self-control and delayed gratification for achieving both personal and professional success. Although Kundu’s presentation calls for systemic reform to level the playing field and provide all children access to the resources they need to achieve, de Posada’s address offers helpful advice for learning self-control. Ultimately, the two texts present various viewpoints on the marshmallow test and its implications for success, with Kundu promoting societal reform and de Posada emphasizing personal responsibility.
Works Cited
de Posada, Joachim. “Don’t Eat the Marshmallow.” TEDx Talks, TED. Web.
Kundu, Anindya. “Why Rich Kids Are So Good at the Marshmallow Test.” TEDx Talks, TED. Web.