The Ape Story

 

You start with a large cage. Inside the cage there are 4 apes. Inside the cage there is a small set of steps with a small platform at the top of the steps.  You place a banana on the platform on the top of the steps.  You wait to see what happens.

 

Eventually, an ape climbs the steps and reaches for the banana.

 

Just as the ape touches the banana you take a powerful hose and blast cold water first on the bravest ape, then make sure that all of the apes get soaked with the cold water.  Turn off the water and wait.  

 

Ensure that the banana remains where you first put it.  Allow the apes to dry off a bit.  Then remove one of the original apes and replace him with a "new" one.  The new ape did not witness the drenching and has no idea about what will transpire, next.  Four apes remain in the cage.  Three are damp. 

 

Observe your cage.  Inevitably, the newest ape begins to climb towards the banana.  You will be amazed to see the other three apes pounce on the new ape, beating him up to the point that he abandons his desire for the banana. The new ape has no idea why the others are beating him.  The original apes are doing what is necessary to avoid the discomfort of the cold water but they cannot explain their actions to the newest ape.   

 

Next, replace another of the 3 remaining original apes with a "new" ape. 

 

Observe.  Yes, the newest ape will also reach for the banana.  What is most interesting about what happens next, is that the ape that took the most recent beating leads the attack in the beating of the newest ape ... and he doesn't even know why they are doing it.  The most aggressive ape didn't get hit with the cold water!  The newest ape quickly loses his appetite for the banana and eventually they all relax.  The banana remains at the top of the steps.

 

Continue the exercise until all of the original 4 apes have been replaced by new apes.  All of the new apes will have taken a beating and none will reach for the banana.  They just occupy the cage apparently indifferent to the presence of the fresh banana.  None of them know about the original drenching with the hose & the cold water.  If you could ask the apes why they ignore the banana, and if they could answer they would probably say, "I don't know, that's just the way we've always done things around here."
This is true.
A friend got this from a journal he found
The Moral is everyone is Programed, you do things Mechanically in your life,You need to stop and reprogram the way you think, because half the time the way you think your thinking is wrong.

Kathy Hamilton/simikathy.com
http://www.itsyournet.com/go/17536am/index.html