The Scarlet Pimp
Supreme Member
- Apr 2, 2008
- 1,416
- 4,459
Have you ever wondered why people don't change their behavior even when it's unproductive, irrational, or unhealthy? This article will help to explain why religious beliefs, prejudice, political views, and group behavior rarely changes.
This is also a good lesson for why many people are not successful in business or in life. When you do what the crowd does, you get what the crowd gets.
---
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 of the other monkeys with cold
water.
After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the 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 away the cold water. 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 surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack 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 even tho he was never sprayed!
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 have no idea why they were not
permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating
of the newest monkey.
After replacing all 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's the way it's always been done around here.
And that, my friends, is how company policy begins.
The next time someone says, "you can't do that!" or "you have to do it!" think of this article. Odds are they were once told the same thing and are simply toeing the party line.
This is also a good lesson for why many people are not successful in business or in life. When you do what the crowd does, you get what the crowd gets.
---
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 of the other monkeys with cold
water.
After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the 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 away the cold water. 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 surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack 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 even tho he was never sprayed!
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 have no idea why they were not
permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating
of the newest monkey.
After replacing all 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's the way it's always been done around here.
And that, my friends, is how company policy begins.
The next time someone says, "you can't do that!" or "you have to do it!" think of this article. Odds are they were once told the same thing and are simply toeing the party line.
