In a message dated 11/1/99 7:42:05 PM Central Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
<< Holy Makeral, That's How It Happens
-----------------------------------
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. This continues through several more
attempts. Pretty soon, when another ape tries to
climb the stairs, the other apes all 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 they've always done it and
that's the way it's always been around here.
And that's how company policy begins....
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scary, isn't it. That's also how people stay subjugated.
Jabou Joh
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
