My younger brother in Malaysia sends some great forwards in the mail. A few days ago he had sent the one I am paraphrasing below. I had read it long time ago but I enjoyed it this time just as much I had originally enjoyed it. I doubt someone actually performed this experiment but it sounds so right that it is probably what would happen if it was ever done in real life.
A group of scientists placed five monkeys in a cage and in the middle of the cage they placed a ladder with bananas on the top.
Every time a monkey went up the ladder, the scientists soaked the rest of the monkeys with ice cold water.
After a while, every time a monkey went up the ladder, the others beat up the one on the ladder.
After some time, no monkey dare to go up the ladder regardless of the temptation.
Scientists then decided to substitute one of the monkeys. The first thing this new monkey did was to go up the ladder. Immediately the other monkeys beat him up.
After several beatings, the new member learned not to climb the ladder even though never knew why.
A second monkey was substituted and the same occurred. The first monkey participated in the beating of the second monkey without a clue as to why. A third monkey was changed and the result was the same. All the monkeys including the ones who never got wet beat up on the monkey going up the ladder. The fourth was substituted and the beating was again repeated and finally the fifth monkey was replaced.
What was left was a group of five monkeys that even though never received a cold shower, continued to beat up any monkey who attempted to climb the ladder.
If it was possible to ask the monkeys why they would beat up all those who attempted to go up the ladder, I bet the answer would have been…
“I don’t know – that’s how things are done around here.”
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