An Amazing Experiment, to Understand Your Behaviour.
The monkeys and the bananas.
A group of scientists placed 5 monkeys in a cage and the middle, a ladder with bananas on the top. Every time a monkey went up the ladder, the scientists soaked the monkeys with cold water.
After a while, every time a monkey went up the ladder, the others beat up the one on the ladder. After some time, no monkey dare to go up the ladder regardless of the temptation. Scientists then decided to substitute one of the monkeys.
The 1st thing this new monkey did was to go up the ladder. Immediately the other monkeys beat him up so that they don’t get soaked with cold water. Monkeys hate water. After several beatings, the new member learned not to climb the ladder.
A 2nd monkey was substituted and the same occurred. The 1st monkey participated in the beating of the 2nd monkey. A 3rd monkey was changed and the same has occurred.
The 1st and 2nd monkeys together with the old monkeys was beating the 3rd monkey. Finally, the 4th and 5th was changed and the older monkeys were beating them until no monkey was attempted to climb the ladder.
The bananas were on top of the ladder but no monkey was attempted to climb on the ladder to eat them. It is remarkable that now, no monkey was ever soaked with cold water. They didn’t even know why they weren’t going up the stairs, even if they were the delicious bananas on top.
Think about it for a minute. This behavior ably to human beings very well. Can you remember, when you were a child in a mega-market, full of curiosity to play, to talk with all the stuff and people and your parents told you to be advisable and quiet?
I bet one golden pound, your thoughts were:” Why are the old people acting so strange? I am not doing something bad. One day, when I grow up I can play and talk to all the people in the mega-stores.”
The day has come, you grow, but now you are acting in a way you never would. You don’t know why you are so serious and quiet. You just act like the others are acting.
Now your thoughts are:” If the others are serious and quiet, I must bee also so. It doesn’t matter if my behavior is fake! It is just how people are.”(I catch myself being in that position)
The Germans, have a say: “Humans are animals who love habits”. How right they are!
Having notice of this experiment helps me a lot when it comes to soul searching. It reminds me to examine how and why I have accepted some of my behaviors. Are they mine or are they forced from society to my character?
Finding the roots of your behavior gives you power. The power to choose if you like and approve the reasons you are acting in the way you are.
Be frankly with yourself and answer the questions, honestly. According to your answer adjust your new behavior. Something great will happen. New behavior will produce a new outcome in your life.
Replacing an unwanted response, triggered by the environment, with a new one, the kind you like will change your perspective and the way you are associated with others.
It seems to be the only way to change yourself to the person you want to be a day. Cultivate the new behavior until it becomes your second nature. Or even better you first!
Remember:” Be the changes you want to see in the world. You have the power to make it true. If not you, then who?”(Don’t let the monkeys determine who you are:-)
May the force be with you! (I wanted to give this blessing from my child age)
If you liked this, you probably want to read this inspiring story full of wisdom, that can be used at any moment.
P.S.: Trying to find out who had made this experiment I end up that probably it was never made. It may be a variation of Stephenson G.R.(1966, Cultural Acquisition of a Specific Learned Response Among Rhesus Monkeys) experiment. The point is that the value of the lessons you take is priceless.