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I'm Sorry, It's Company Policy |
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....
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