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Homepage / Food For Thought / Company Policy & Habit

Hang a banana on a string and put steps under it in a cage containing five apes.
Soon, an ape will start to climb towards the banana.
As he touches the first step, spray all of the apes with cold water.
After a while, another ape makes an attempt with the same result.
This continues through several more attempts.
Pretty soon, when an ape tries to climb, the others apes try to prevent it.

Now, turn off the cold water.
Replace one of the apes with a new one.
The new ape sees the banana and wants to climb the steps.
But 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.

Now, remove another of the original apes and replace it with a new one.
The newcomer goes to the steps 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 steps and is attacked as well.
Two of the four apes that beat him have no idea 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.
But no ape will 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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