Lessons from girl scout cookies

You can learn a lot from girl scout cookies.

One lesson is that parents can sometimes forget what selling those cookies is for—which implies that a) people aren’t perfect, and b) even well-meaning parents can make mistakes.

Another is that sugar is an highly-addictive, heavily-marketed substance that sells far more than healthy alternatives, despite that fact that most parents would rather their kids make healthy, wise-minded choices when they grow up.

And a third? That monopolies thrive in a closed market—where organizations can set the price and expect little, if any, competition. That’s why GSUSA is a tax-exempt non-profit that makes $800 million a year on glorified bake sales (while each troop earns just 80 cents per box of cookies sold).

Of course, if it’s not about the cookies any more than the sales numbers, why don’t parents encourage their kids to bake and sell their own snacks and treats instead?

(Hint: it’s not about the cookies.)