5 monkeys and a ladder: how the herd instinct is formed

A group of scientists conducted an interesting social experiment, based on a cell, a staircase with attached bananas and five monkeys. Monkeys settled in a large cage, in the center they installed a ladder, on top of which were bananas.

What was the experiment?

Every time the monkey rose behind bananas, the remaining congeners received an unpleasant cold shower. As a result, only the one that was at the top of the stairs remained dry and contented. After some time, it was worth only one of the primates to go to the stairs, as the relatives dragged and beat the unlucky banana lover. This continued until no monkey decided to succumb to temptation and risk experiencing the anger of neighbors.

The next step of the scientists was the replacement of one of the monkeys with an unsuspecting new individual. Naturally, the first impulse of the new primate was an attempt to get bananas. Instantly the old-timers dragged the newcomer off the stairs and beat him. Several unsuccessful and painful attempts to regale "knocked out" of a newcomer's desire to approach the stairs, despite the absence of any valid reasons.

Scientists replaced another monkey with a new monkey, and the "upbringing" of the newcomer went according to the same scenario, and the monkey that was replaced first actively participated in the beating of the second one. Thus, at certain intervals, scientists replaced the former monkeys with new individuals, until there was not one of those who experienced an unpleasant cold shower.

Results of the experiment

As a result, 5 monkeys remained in the cage, they never experienced a cold shower, but still beat those of their relatives who were trying to climb the stairs. In fact, if primates could answer the question of why they beat up those who are just trying to eat bananas, the answer would probably be a phrase like "I do not know, so everyone does it." Does not it look like anything? Similarly, our herd instinct is formed.

As Grace Hopper said, the most harmful and terrible phrase in any language is "So that's always what everyone does."