Monkeys and Bananas
A scientist caged 5 monkeys and attached a bunch of bananas to a sensor. The sensor was designed to spray cold water into the cage if the monkeys attempted to pluck the bananas.
Seeing the bunch of bananas, a monkey happily leaped to pluck itself one. Immediately, all the monkeys were showered wet with cold water. Another monkey tried to pluck the bananas. Straight away a burst of cold water sent them all running around the cage.
All 5 monkeys made a few tries, and each time they were greeted with cold shower. Eventually, they sat down quietly and showed no more interest in the bananas.
The scientist deactivated the sensor. He then replaced one of the 5 with a new monkey.
The first reaction of the new monkey was to go pluck a banana. Afraid of another cold shower, the other 4 monkeys forced it to stop without hesitated. After a few attempts to pluck the banana resulted in the same beating, the new monkey learnt to not touch the banana.
The scientist put in another new monkey to replace the original 4.
When the 2nd new monkey wanted to eat the banana, the 1st new monkey led the pack to attack the 2nd new monkey. Soon, the 2nd new monkey dared not touch the bananas too.
The scientist kept on replacing the monkeys one by one. The batch of 5 original monkeys was gone, then the 1st batch of new monkeys was also replaced. He ended up with a totally new batch of 5 monkeys in the cage.
None of these monkey dared go near the bananas. They knew they must beat up whoever went near the bananas but none knew why.
Circumstances change. The cause for the customs or tradition may not exist anymore. Just like the sensor was long deactivated in the story.
Don't fall into the trap of following the customs and tradition without thinking. Just because it has always been done this way doesn't mean it must be done this way.
Changes are necessary to progress.
Seeing the bunch of bananas, a monkey happily leaped to pluck itself one. Immediately, all the monkeys were showered wet with cold water. Another monkey tried to pluck the bananas. Straight away a burst of cold water sent them all running around the cage.
All 5 monkeys made a few tries, and each time they were greeted with cold shower. Eventually, they sat down quietly and showed no more interest in the bananas.
The scientist deactivated the sensor. He then replaced one of the 5 with a new monkey.
The first reaction of the new monkey was to go pluck a banana. Afraid of another cold shower, the other 4 monkeys forced it to stop without hesitated. After a few attempts to pluck the banana resulted in the same beating, the new monkey learnt to not touch the banana.
The scientist put in another new monkey to replace the original 4.
When the 2nd new monkey wanted to eat the banana, the 1st new monkey led the pack to attack the 2nd new monkey. Soon, the 2nd new monkey dared not touch the bananas too.
The scientist kept on replacing the monkeys one by one. The batch of 5 original monkeys was gone, then the 1st batch of new monkeys was also replaced. He ended up with a totally new batch of 5 monkeys in the cage.
None of these monkey dared go near the bananas. They knew they must beat up whoever went near the bananas but none knew why.
Circumstances change. The cause for the customs or tradition may not exist anymore. Just like the sensor was long deactivated in the story.
Don't fall into the trap of following the customs and tradition without thinking. Just because it has always been done this way doesn't mean it must be done this way.
Changes are necessary to progress.
posted by Vic at 11:01 AM
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