Americans are also especially bad at tackling problems that require a small, consistent, amount of help over a long period of time.
I’m honestly not sure why this is.
I don’t think it’s a uniquely American trait.
Small gradual changes are hard to see, many people might overlook them entirely, and the reward is stretched thin or very far off. You might not even see the full outcome in your lifetime.
It’s easy to see why people favor short term results.
This old proverb comes to mind: “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”
We’ve still got a long way to go.