How policy begins

[Guest guest]

While I'm not one who normally posts off topic comments, I came across this

the other day, and reflected to how true it is, so enjoy...

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, and

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 policy begins.