Put 8 monkeys in a room. In the middle of the room is a ladder, leading to a bunch of bananas hanging from a hook on the ceiling. Each time a monkey tries to climb the ladder, all the monkeys are sprayed with ice water, which makes them miserable.
Soon enough, whenever a monkey attempts to climb the ladder, all of the other monkeys, not wanting to be sprayed on, set upon him and beat him up. Soon, none of the eight monkeys ever attempts to climb the ladder.
One of the original monkeys is then removed, and a new monkey is put in the room. Seeing the bananas and the ladder, he wonders why none of the other monkeys are doing the obvious. But undaunted, he immediately begins to climb the ladder.
All the other monkeys fall upon him and beat him silly and he has no idea why. However, he no longer attempts to climb the ladder.
A second original monkey is removed and replaced. The newcomer again attempts to climb the ladder, but all the other monkeys hammer the crap out of him. This includes the previous new monkey,
who, grateful that he’s not on the receiving end this time, participates in the beating because all the other monkeys are doing it. However, he has no idea why he’s attacking the new monkey. One by one, all the original monkeys are replaced.
Eight new monkeys are now in the room. None of them have ever been sprayed by ice water. None of them attempt to climb the ladder. All of them will enthusiastically beat up any new monkey who tries, without having any idea why.
That is how traditions, religion and ethnic profiling get established and followed.
Think twice before following a tradition, religion or negative ethnic profiling. It would make more sense if you get your own understanding to it!
-Author Unknown
opinion, most times with no real understanding of the other person's position or view point (no understanding of why). Part of this 'experiment' was about positive and negative reinforcement and the above behavior seems to be positively reinforced, at least from a Social Group perspective, thereby encouraging and perpetuating it. I think this aspect is illustrated well by "8 monkeys are now in the room. None of them has ever been sprayed by water. None of them attempt to climb the ladder. All of them will enthusiastically beat any new monkey that tries, without having any idea why". What has happened to mutual respect, logical thought based on rational rather than emotional thinking and Free Speech (you know, that thing gaurenteed under the 1st amendment?)
