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1. Start with a cage containing five apes. In the cage, hang a banana
on a string and put stairs under it. Before long, an ape will go to the
stairs and start to climb toward the Banana.
2. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the apes with
cold water. After a while, another ape makes an attempt with the same
result--all the apes are sprayed with cold water.
3. Turn off the cold water. If later another ape tries to climb the
stairs, the other apes will try to prevent it even though no water
sprays them.
4. Now, remove one ape from the cage and replace it with a new one.
The new ape sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his
horror, all of the other apes attack him. After another attempt and
attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be
assaulted.
5. Next, remove another of the original five apes 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.
6. Again, replace a third original ape with a new one. The new one
makes it to the stairs and is attacked as well. Two of the four apes
that beat him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the
stairs, or why they are participating in the beating of the newest ape.
7. After replacing the fourth and fifth original apes, all the apes
which have been sprayed with cold water have been replaced.
Nevertheless, no ape ever again approaches the stairs. Why not?
"BECAUSE that's the way it's always been done around here." |
| | Posted 4/14/2008 11:03 AM - 41 Views - 2 eProps - 1 Comment
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