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Editor’s Note: We received this late
Sunday night. It came from the same address that Saturday’s note and
photo came from. When we responded for more information, the mail came
back as undeliverable, permanent failure. However, as promised, here's
the photo and the message we received…
“I’ve been asked why things always seem to stay the same. We vote for
change, we get more of the same – unless of course it gets worse.
There’s a reason why nothing seems to change, at least in our memory.
We have to rely on a study of history to see the way it used to be, and
history won’t always tell us the whole story.
“It’s called conditioning. For example, take a cage with five monkeys
in it…
“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 the other monkeys with
cold water. After a while another monkey makes the attempt with 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 the cold water away. 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 shock, 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, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the
stairs he is attacked.
“Most of the monkeys that are beating him up 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 of 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 is the way it has always
been done around here.”
Respectfully,
The Darke Knight
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