Challenge Assumption

A story from ThinkerToys by Michael Michalko. Thanks Robert Boban.

Imagine a cage containing five monkey. 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 toward the banana. As soon as he touches the stair, spray all the monkeys with ice-cold water. After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result - all the monkey are spayed with ice-cold water. Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkey will try to prevent it.

Now, turn off the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and will want to climb the stairs. To his surprise, 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 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.

Again, replace a third monkey with a new one. The new one goes to the stairs and is attacked. Two of the four monkeys 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 monkey.

After replacing the fourth and fifth monkey with new ones, all the monkey that have been spayed with ice-cold water have been replaced. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs. Why not? Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been around here.

Don't be a monkey. Challenge all assumptions.

Uploaded in Heidelberg, Germany

Comments

[Quang]

This one is interesting Tien. Somehow realates to Everything is invented in The Art of Possibility.

[Tien]

Hi Quang,

Exactly. It's often easier to change oneself than to change a group. After all, the group "invention" is often disguised under the name of norms and culture.

Tien.