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FW: Five monkeys



This is only sort of off-topic

> Subject:      FW: Five monkeys
>
>
>
> ----------
>
> 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! 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, is how
> company [government] policy begins.
>

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