(pssst... i'm on twitter too)
I once heard of an experiment that was done with a group of chimpanzees. These chimps were placed in an enclosure that had a pole in the center. On top of the pole was a platform that had a treat on it (bananas or something). Whenever one of the chimps would try to climb the pole to get at the treat, the researchers would hit the group of chimps on the ground with water from a hose. Eventually, if one would try to climb the pole, the others would grab it, to prevent the group from getting sprayed.
After a while, the researchers quit spraying the chimps. The chimps behavior, however, continued. They still kept anyone from climbing the pole. After a while, none of the chimps tried to climb the pole anymore.
Later, the researchers introduced a new chimp into the group, and removed one of the originals. The new chimp tried to climb the pole, and was instantly pulled back down by the group. After awhile, it quit trying to climb the pole, too. New chimps were introduced one by one, and original chimps were removed. Eventually, all of the original chimps were gone. None of the chimps currently in the enclosure had ever been sprayed with water. Yet none of them ever tried to climb the pole, because each time they did, the group would pull them back down.
Think about that. None of the chimps even knew why they weren’t supposed to climb the pole, yet they all enforced it just out of habit. Because that’s the way it’s always been.
People behave in the same way. If we try to do something extraordinary with our lives, and we tell people about it, we’re worried we’ll be ridiculed for it. Mocked and shamed into conformity. People tell us it can’t be done, simply because they’ve never seen anyone do it before. Well, I think it’s time that it stopped. Thumb your nose at the rest of the chimps and climb the pole. Do what you want to do, and don’t worry about what other people think.
