Psychology of Behavior

[paranoid dxer]

If one  starts with a cage containing five monkeys, and inside the cage, one   hangs a banana on a string from the top  and then places a set of stairs under the banana; before long a monkey will go  to the stairs and climb toward the banana.

Now as soon as the climbing  monkey touches the stairs, you spray all the other monkeys with cold water.  After a while another monkey makes an attempt with same result ... all the other  monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon when another monkey tries to  climb the stairs, all the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put  the cold water away.

Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with  a new one.   The new monkey sees the  banana and attempts to climb the stairs.    To his shock, all of the other  monkeys beat the crap out of 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 monkeys, replacing it with a new one.   The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked.    The previous newcomer takes part in the  punishment... with enthusiasm.

Then, replace a third original monkey with  a new one, followed by a fourth, then the fifth.  Every time the newest  monkey takes to the stairs he is attacked. Most of the monkeys that are beating  him up have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs.    Neither do they know why they are  participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

Finally, having  replaced all of the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys will have  ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, none of the monkeys  will try to climb the stairway for the banana.

Why, you ask?   Because in their minds... that is the way it has always been!

[John Poet]

That's wrong.

One of the original monkeys is still there-- (he was the one holding the hose)-- only he thinks he's a rabbit.


And the banana at the top of the steps?

That represents knowledge and the truth about how many monkeys have been hosed...

[Pigmeat]

Bananas? Don't drag Evil Elvis into this.

[bad andy]

Ok, Its too funny and I can't take it much longer.  
  All the monkeys were so smart and knew everything that they never noticed the rabbit tail sticking out of the monkey suit worn by the shit thrownig monkey. Soon all the monkeys were fighting, taking sides and pounding their chest. Fooled again, what a bunch of stupid f00kin monkeys thery were.
PMLOL

[Newfoundland DXer]

Actually, the cage door was open the whole time.  

The "hose holder" gave the monkeys shiny metal boxes that made noise and this seemed like fun.  Many monkeys were attracted by the noise and wandered into the cage,  and the group grew.  

This pleased the "hose holder", until he realized that the group was so large that he could not command their undivided attention, and that some of the new monkeys possessed evil "independent thoughts".  Time for a banana.

Of course, most of the monkeys scurried off at the first hosing.  Most of them ran far away, never to return.  But many who had developed an addiction to the shiny metal boxes sat outside the cage, looking in.  Only the original 5 monkeys, those who were actually addicted to the thrill of beating the crap out of others, remained in the cage.  (When the water had dried, some of those outside slithered back in, loudly beating their chests and proclaiming their loyalty to the cage.)

Again, they played with their shiny metal boxes, and more monkeys were attracted by the noise.  Those sitting outside tried to warn the newcomers, but they did so quietly, because they knew the hose had a long reach.  Of course, many newcomers were fooled anyway and the group grew again.  Time for another banana.

And so it went … until a monkey with evil “independent thoughts” started to laugh at the soakings, and simply refused to leave the cage.  Then some monkeys became too skillful with their boxes and started to become too popular.  And monkeys outside the cage were using the shiny metal boxes without the “hose holders” permission, even relaying sounds from wihin the cage!!!.  

What was a rabbit to do?

[Jolly Roger]

The analogy is very accurate, but it makes me sad. I was just one of the many monkeys who got beaten. The end result of all this is that nearly every monkey is now scared to try to climb the ladder. Not only because we may get hosed or beaten again but because it's never entirely clear who is doing the hosing or beating. Or why.
There are so many people who would gladly post here and on the Furry Radio Network site. but we're simply tired. Pirate radio used to be fun. So thank you, John Poet. We can live vicariously through you. You have guts.

[Newfoundland DXer]

The analogy is very accurate, but it makes me sad. I was just one of the many monkeys who got beaten. The end result of all this is that nearly every monkey is now scared to try to climb the ladder. Not only because we may get hosed or beaten again but because it's never entirely clear who is doing the hosing or beating. Or why.
There are so many people who would gladly post here and on the Furry Radio Network site. but we're simply tired. Pirate radio used to be fun. So thank you, John Poet. We can live vicariously through you. You have guts.

Don't be tired or sad.  Be mad.   It's your hobby too.  Take it back.

Who is doing the hosing?  Does it really matter now that we all know it is just one puppetmaster and his laundry?  Laugh at him.  (Yes, he has a couple of real supporters.  Laugh at them and their puppets too.)

Why?  Don't take it personal.  It was probably time for a regular "culling of the herd" and your head was stuck up higher than the rest.  (Some people think it better to be the King of a tiny Principality than to be a commoner in a large Republic.)

Fun?  Pirate radio can be absolutely the most tremendous fun that you can have with a radio.  I am just very thankful to be part of the euro scene so I can be reminded of that on a daily basis.  (No leaders, trolls, rats or laundry there, just true free radio.)

Poet, thanks for everything, but keep digging

Terry

[Fansome]

I don't understand any of this; I am just a simple DXer. Have you all gone bonkers?

[Pigmeat]

As far as I can tell your kid has been chuckin' rocks at rabbits.

[paranoid dxer]

{ seems like a few lines got lost from this  so here it is like it should have been }

Stay with it and you'll  understand at the end!

If one  starts with a cage containing five monkeys, and inside the cage, one   hangs a banana on a string from the top  and then places a set of stairs under the banana; before long a monkey will go  to the stairs and climb toward the banana.

 

Now as soon as the climbing  monkey touches the stairs, you spray all the other monkeys with cold water.  After a while another monkey makes an attempt with same result ... all the other  monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon when another monkey tries to  climb the stairs, all the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

 

Now, put  the cold water away.

 

Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with  a new one.   The new monkey sees the  banana and attempts to climb the stairs.    To his shock, all of the other  monkeys beat the crap out of 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 monkeys, replacing it with a new one.   The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked.    The previous newcomer takes part in the  punishment... with enthusiasm.

 

Then, replace a third original monkey with  a new one, followed by a fourth, then the fifth.  Every time the newest  monkey takes to the stairs he is attacked. Most of the monkeys that are beating  him up have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs.    Neither do they know why they are  participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

 

Finally, having  replaced all of the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys will have  ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, none of the monkeys  will try to climb the stairway for the banana.

 

Why, you ask?   Because in their minds... that is the way it has always been!

 

This, my friends, is how Congress operates... and is  why,

from time to time,   all  of the monkeys need to be REPLACED AT THE SAME  TIME.


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