Monkey #3.

One of my favorite stories concerns scientist studying monkeys. As the story goes, there’s an observation room with some one-way glass, overlooking a room where the experiment is carried out. In the room there is metal plate on the floor, in the center of the room, which can be electrified to deliver a mild, but somewhat painful shock. Suspended above the metal plate by way of a string, is a bunch of bananas.

The scientist escorts a monkey into the room and closes the door. The monkey immediately spies the bananas, and runs to the center of the room to try and reach them. The scientist repeately shocks the monkey (appologies to Peter Gabriel and PETA…actually, PETA can go hang.) every time he tries to reach for the bananas. After a while, the monkey gives up on getting the bananas. At that point, the scientist turns off the current in the metal plate and introduces monkey #2 into the room where monkey #1 has learned to avoid bananas.

Immediately upon entry, monkey #2 thinks “Free Bananas!” followed in short order by “Hey, stupid…don’t you want some bananas?” Monkey #2 then races to the bunch of bananas. Monkey #1, however will have nothing of it, as he’s been conditioned that reaching for the bananas will bring on an electric shock. He promptly uses all his powers of persuasion to deter monkey #2 from reaching the bananas. (Okay, he beats the snot out of monkey #2, but “using all his powers of persuasion” sounds so much better.) At the point in time where monkey #2 realizes going for the bananas is not practical, the scientist removes monkey #1 from the chamber and introduces monkey #3 into the room.

Pause with me for a nanosecond.

Monkey #2 knows nothing of the electric shock treatment. Monkey #3 sees the bananas, and thinks “if you’re not hungry, I am” and lunges for the bananas. Monkey #2 beats the living daylights out of monkey #3 for even THINKING about going near the bananas. Remember, that there’s no electric shock happening here – only the learned behavior of monkey #2.

There are many occasions where you may want to try something new, something different, or try doing something that goes against the conventional wisdom. As luck would have it, there’s usually a “monkey #2” willing to beat your idea sensless because some other monkey has conditioned them to think “we’ve never done it that way before” or “that might risk failure” or “conformity is the key!”

What’s the moral? When considering innovation, don’t be monkey #3.