Are we all a bunch of monkeys ???

Shaughnessy

Shaughnessy

Joined
Apr 11, 2007
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I saw this on another site about how people act on some forums in regards to newbies and thought it was interesting.....

Social Scientists put eight monkeys in a room. In the middle of the room is a ladder, leading to a bunch of bananas hanging from a hook on the ceiling. Each time a monkey tries to climb the ladder, all the monkeys are sprayed with ice water, which makes them miserable. Soon enough, whenever a monkey attempts to climb the ladder, all of the other monkeys, not wanting to be sprayed, set upon him and beat him up. Soon, none of the eight monkeys ever attempts to climb the ladder. One of the original monkeys is then removed, and a new monkey is put in the room. Seeing the bananas and the ladder, he wonders why none of the other monkeys are doing the obvious, but, undaunted, he immediately begins to climb the ladder. All the other monkeys fall upon him and beat him silly.

He has no idea why. However, he no longer attempts to climb the ladder. A second original monkey is removed and replaced. The newcomer again attempts to climb the ladder, but all the other monkeys hammer the crap out of him. This includes the previous new monkey, who, grateful that he's not on the receiving end this time, participates in the beating because all the other monkeys are doing it. However, he has no idea why he's attacking the new monkey.

One by one, all the original monkeys are replaced. Eight new monkeys are now in the room. None of them have ever been sprayed by ice water. None of them attempt to climb the ladder. All of them will enthusiastically beat up any new monkey who tries, without having any idea why.
 
well, that sounds pretty much like a definition of 'war' to me. Let's face it, we all have ingrained biases against certain things and people and ultimately most of us do not know why. Don't care to, so long as it doesn't expose us to danger, and in fact, holding an opposing view does expose a guy. Even if he's right. We're definitely more monkey than sheep- we act out of self interest, more often than out of bonafide stupidity.
After reading your post, (I've heard of this study before) the first thing that sprang to mind was the anti semitism which Nazi Germany promoted.
 
This only proves that Social Scientists (bit of an oxymoron there, eh?) are just plain mean. What did those poor monkeys ever do to them? :confused:

Really though, I do get the point of the whole conditioning thing. Pavlov, BF Skinner, how it relates to social mores, and all that. "STFU, don't ask questions, just go along with the crowd or get stomped." Personally, I have more mule than monkey in me... I'm just dumb and stubborn enough to keep trying for those dang bananas, sometimes even after I've forgotten why I wanted them in the first place.

Burl Source said:
...I say we spray them with the hose again.
Click to expand...

Totally off-topic, but I had a "Silence of the Lambs" flashback when I read that :eek: :D
 
james terrio said:
This only proves that Social Scientists (bit of an oxymoron there, eh?) are just plain mean. What did those poor monkeys ever do to them? :confused:

Really though, I do get the point of the whole conditioning thing. Pavlov, BF Skinner, how it relates to social mores, and all that. "STFU, don't ask questions, just go along with the crowd or get stomped." Personally, I have more mule than monkey in me... I'm just dumb and stubborn enough to keep trying for those dang bananas, sometimes even after I've forgotten why I wanted them in the first place.



Totally off-topic, but I had a "Silence of the Lambs" flashback when I read that :eek: :D
Click to expand...

James you werent gonna bring up that thing about the lotion were you ????........... Just throwing the post out there, cuz I saw elsewhere. Food for thought I guess.......or not. Larry
 
not specifically relevant to the primary intent of this thread, but enlightening just the same;

[video=youtube;5_sfnQDr1-o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_sfnQDr1-o&feature=player_detailpage[/video]
 
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