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 towards the Banana. 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. Pretty soon, when another ape
tries to climb the stairs, the other apes will try to prevent it.
Now, turn off the cold water. 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.
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.
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.
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 around here.
And that's how company policy begins...
-- michael rees SCULPTOR http://www.sound.net/~zedand00/ 1212 w 8th St. Bldg B #2, 816 753 3020 voice zedand00@sound.net KC, Mo 64101 816 753 1542 faxFor more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
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