Start with a cage containing five monkeys.
Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under
it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the
banana.
As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all the other
monkeys with cold water. After a while another monkey makes the attempt with
same result, all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon when
another Monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.
Now, put the cold water away. Remove one monkey from
the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants
to climb the stairs.
To his shock, all of the other monkeys beat the snot
out of him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb
the stairs he will be assaulted.
Next, remove another of the original five monkeys
and replace it with a new one.
The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The
previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm.
Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new
one, then a fourth, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the
stairs he is attacked.
Most of the monkeys that are beating him up have no
idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs OR even why they are
participating in the beating of the newest monkey. Finally, after replacing
all of the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been
sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the
stairs to try for the banana.
Why not?
Because as far as they know, that is the way it has always
been done.
Topic: Monkeys and stunt (Read 1913 times)