The Hundredth Monkey

[Leo Volont]

The Hundred Monkeys

Has anyone not heard of the Hundred Monkeys?

Japan is a very highly educated island. Everyone is smart ([deleted]) and they all go to college. When it comes time for all these students to do research papers, a veritable multitude grab their Sony laptops and go off to the Small Northern Islands where studies are forever being done on the Monkeys. Every move that every monkey makes is noted on at least three clipboards and compiled, correlated and then compared. There is nothing that is not known about these Japanese Monkeys.

In July 1984 one adolescent female Monkey was seen to take her potato slice to the ocean water and wash the sand off of it. Previously these monkeys had simply wiped off the sand. ... occasionally spitting out pieces of grit that had not been caught during the ‘wipe downs’. It was no big deal, but it was noted, “Kiki washes food in ocean before eating”.

But the next day she does the same thing. And the next day after that. Soon a few of her siblings notice. THEY BEGIN WASHING THEIR POTATOS. You need to remember that monkeys can’t talk. They had to watch and figure out what the utility of washing would provide. “OH”, they would eventually think, “washing off with water removes all of the grit… GOOD!” Once they learned it, it was not likely they would stop.

More and more of the monkeys picked up the habit. Another Troupe of Monkeys on the edge of Kiki’s Troupe’s territory were confused by the strange goings on at feeding time and soon figured out what was happening and they began the dinner food cleaning ritual too. The Students were keeping track. Remember, that in a field of study which was seriously over-studied, this was something NEW… the kids were honestly and sincerely excited. No one was missing a single detail.

Then came the day when the Hundredth Monkey cleaned its food. Then occurred one of the most important discoveries ever made in Behavioral Science… maybe THE Most Important discovery in Behavioral Science. On that same day EVERY MONKEY OF THAT SPECIES ON EVERY ONE OF THE SMALL JAPANESE ISLANDS SIMILTANEOUSLY BEGAN CLEANING THEIR FOOD. From a hundred monkeys to tens of thousands of Monkeys all at once on just one day, they all behaved as though it was an innate inborn behavior.

What happened? What does this mean? It was demonstrated that there is a collective consciousness. It shows that at some level we are more than just individuals. We all share a Group Mind.

So how does the 100 Monkey Syndrome apply to us. Was there a [deleted]

But should we wonder whether if only One Hundred Human Beings could have some great New Pivotal Spiritual Realization. Could we all change at once with a new Behavior or a new way of Seeing Things that would feel to us like it has been with us since birth. It has become the New Holy Grail – the idea that 100 Realizations could entirely lift up Humanity.

 

[ConsequentAtheist]

Japan is a very highly educated island. Everyone is smart (since they are all nearly Chinese) ...

Do you have any more dumb, racist non sequiturs to share?

 

[Alpha]

The "hundredth monkey effect" is well known, and also false:
- http://skepdic.com/monkey.html

 

[Leo Volont]

Do you have any more dumb, racist non sequiturs to share?

All knowledge is from generalization, since we can never know each particular. Racial and Ethnic stereotypes are instances of generalized knowledge. It is hardly logical to say that generalized knowledge is a non sequitur -- it is what it is. It does not arrive from a train of logic. A limestone fence is white because it is white. Chinese are smart because they are smart. And Japanese are smart because they are almost chinese. True knowledge is simply true knowledge.

Your problem comes from the aesthetic quality of certain segments of knowledge. you like pretty knowledge but do not like unpretty knowledge. Of course, there is no standard for Aesthetics and so it is difficult to know what pleases people. But you can't say something isn't true just because you think it isn't pretty.

So you should somehow rephrase your complaint. You can say that what I said is not very nice, but in fact I flattered the Asian Peoples. What, are you sensitive about being stupid in comparison. What, did you lose a scholarship at Southern Cal because the campus is now 70% Asian and they won't let stupid whites in on affirmative action yet?

 

[Leo Volont]

The "hundredth monkey effect" is well known, and also false:

So it is not true that [deleted]

So it is not true that [deleted]

So it is not true that [deleted]

So it is not true that [deleted]

So it is not true that [deleted]

But, anyway, I largely suspected at least that the 'Hundred Number' was probably much too low. However, a close look at Social History shows fads arrising almost spontaneously over broad communities.

Then there are other funny studies I have heard about. There was one on Leaderless Spontaneous Chanting at Sports Events. It is not as Big as a Collective Consciousness, but it is definitely a Crowd Consciousness at work. This can be compared to studies of Group Behavior during Riots and Social Disturbances.

Anyway, it is good that everyone knows about the 100 Monkey thing so that we can add a useful metaphor to our Language Library.

 

[bigal]

Whether the story is true or not, the collective conscience exists.
And your second coming can only be getting closer.

 

[Alpha]

How have you escaped my ignore list this long?

 

[Tiassa]

There's an element of humor I think we're all missing here.

Presuming that you are a first-generation new user (and not a recycle of a prior user under a new name), I feel the need to mention that, at your post count, you may not have had time to realize that for some reason, humor is generally forbidden among the masses.

At least, humor that people have to stop and think about for a second or two.

You know, buzz-buzz, clang-clang, Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday-and-sometimes-"Y" ... people don't have time to stop and think about their senses of humor.

And no, it's not the 100 monkeys I refer to as humor, although I wonder if that idea applies at all to devolution or, at least, the dumbing-down of a human culture?

 

[Tiassa]

Well ... er ... yeah.

 

[Neildo]

although I wonder if that idea applies at all to devolution or, at least, the dumbing-down of a human culture?

Yes.

[deleted]

Heh, I laughed at that comment too and I don't see it as a joke against blacks but rather because it'll eventually happen. I'm white and live in Southern California (the place you mentioned in your joke) and damn, we're being outbred like crazy. My city is 68% hispanic, woo. I'm just glad that us whities are 2nd at 20% only because of the beach properties and good surfing grounds here. But it's still a pain in the ass trying to get certain jobs for those that aren't bilingual (the main affirmative action part) but hey, everyone should at least know two languages at the least. Most people in other countries know at least 2 languages so why not us. That's one of my beefs with English-only speakers. They try and act so supreme and point out many typos and grammatical errors on forums when they're the least linguistic ones around, lol.

Anyhow, yeah, I found that comment pretty funny. Things that we can relate to tends to be the most humorous but also tends to be the most offensive because the truth hurts.

- N

 

[James R]

Leo:

Racial and Ethnic stereotypes are instances of generalized knowledge.

Generalised prejudice, you mean. They seek to put all members of a group in a labelled box, when not all members of the group fit into the box. In fact, in many such instances, even the majority of members do not fit the box.

It is hardly logical to say that generalized knowledge is a non sequitur -- it is what it is. It does not arrive from a train of logic. A limestone fence is white because it is white. Chinese are smart because they are smart. And Japanese are smart because they are almost chinese. True knowledge is simply true knowledge.

A limestone fence is white because limestone is white. "Chinese are smart" is a stereotyped statement which is not based on evidence. The implication is "ALL Chinese are smart", which is actually not true. And the statement "Japanese are almost Chinese" doesn't even really make sense. How can somebody be "almost Chinese"? Can somebody be "almost British" or "almost Paraguayan"? Of course not.

Your problem comes from the aesthetic quality of certain segments of knowledge. you like pretty knowledge but do not like unpretty knowledge.

What I do not like is falsehood painted as knowledge.

So you should somehow rephrase your complaint.

I hope this post makes it clearer for you. I can explain in more detail if you need it.

BTW, your posts have been edited. You might like to look at the forum posting guidelines if you are confused as to why that has happened.

 

[Leo Volont]

Leo:



Generalised prejudice, you mean. They seek to put all members of a group in a labelled box, when not all members of the group fit into the box. In fact, in many such instances, even the majority of members do not fit the box.

Generalized truth should always be generally true -- you need to have it correct as far as that goes. But yes, you need to understand that particular exemptions will exist; however, you must never forget why you are generalizing. For instance, years ago this student went out on Campus at night and saw ahead of him some Black Guys. He even realized at the time that there seemed to be a correlation between "Black Guys" and "Getting Mugged", but he kept walking until he was right up to them. He got mugged! It was simply a failure to put into action what his brain was already perfectly willing to tell him. Danger! Danger! Don't be Stupid!

 

[Leo Volont]

Leo:



The implication is "ALL Chinese are smart", which is actually not true. And the statement "Japanese are almost Chinese" doesn't even really make sense. How can somebody be "almost Chinese"?

Indeed, how can anybody who believes in standardized testing come out and say that Chinese are not smarter then any other ethnic Group. On every Continent in the World there are those who wish to artificially bar or limit the number of Chinese, because, just given the raw numbers, they would walk away with more then a proportional share of the prize money. This must certainly mean they are doing better then average on standardized testing.

And about the Japanese -- that was an inside joke regarding Asian's attitudes toward other Asians. Every Asian feels inferior to the Chinese -- that is simply the way it is. The Koreans feel both inferior to the Chinese and the Japanese, but especially hate the Japanese because they realize that they really should be equal with them but somehow aren't. When talking about different Asian Nationalities you need to understand that they all 'push each others buttons' a little bit. It will just take time and they will all be each others friends -- about 20 thousand more years, I should say.

 

[Leo Volont]

Leo:



"Chinese are smart" is a stereotyped statement which is not based on evidence.

Oh! I just thought of this,(and I am not even Chinese):

If Chinese are not really smarter, then I would start marking "Chinese" in the Ethnic Group Block of Standardized Tests... because then they give you about 50 Extra Points.

 

[ConsequentAtheist]

All knowledge is from generalization, since we can never know each particular. Racial and Ethnic stereotypes are instances of generalized knowledge.

Rubbish ...

• all knowledge is from generalization,
• racial stereotypes are instances of generalization,
• therefore, racial stereotypes are examples of knowledge.

Logic fallacies such as this are typically addressed in Junior High School.

A limestone fence is white because it is white. Chinese are smart because they are smart. And Japanese are smart because they are almost chinese. True knowledge is simply true knowledge.

And sophomoric racist stupidity is simply sophomoric racist stupidity. If you have any verifiable evidence showing a causal relationship between intelligence and ethnicity, present it. Perhaps you could even supply an ethnicity/intelligence hierarchy.

Your problem comes from the aesthetic quality of certain segments of knowledge. you like pretty knowledge but do not like unpretty knowledge.

My problem is that I despise racist sophistry.

So you should somehow rephrase your complaint.

It was not a complaint, but a question. Pay attention.

You can say that what I said is not very nice, but in fact I flattered the Asian Peoples.

By saying that the Japanese are smart because they are almost Chinese? You are a sadly ignorant buffoon.

 

[Twist]

maybe THE Most Important discovery in Behavioral Science. On that same day EVERY MONKEY OF THAT SPECIES ON EVERY ONE OF THE SMALL JAPANESE ISLANDS SIMILTANEOUSLY BEGAN CLEANING THEIR FOOD. From a hundred monkeys to tens of thousands of Monkeys all at once on just one day, they all behaved as though it was an innate inborn behavior.

You are talking about morphogentic fields, and the monkey observation is not even the first or greatest example. Your claim of "the most important discovery in Behavioural science" is, well, wrong.

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Morphogenetic field

One was the research of Harvard University researcher William McDougall, who, in the 1920s, studied the abilities of rats to correctly solve mazes. He found that children of rats that had learned the maze were able to run it faster -- at first the rats would get it wrong 165 times before being able to run it perfectly each time, but after a few generations it was down to 20. McDougall felt this was due to some sort of Lamarckian evolutionary process. Sheldrake felt that this was instead evidence of a morphogenetic field. The rats running the maze the first times built their pattern of learning into the "rat field", and later rats were able to draw on this patterning. Several examples of this sort of "universal learning" were offered.

...

Since then a number of other examples have been added -- the behaviour of monkeys in Japan cleaning their food, and birds in Europe learning to open milk bottles have all been offered as examples of a "nonlocal" force in behaviour and learning.

There is no solid evidence or mainstream support for them.
They have been discussed in many arenas though, including interesting (though unlikely) theories on psychedelics and teleology by Terrance McKenna.

 

[WildBlueYonder]

The Hundred Monkeys

Has anyone not heard of the Hundred Monkeys?

Japan is a very highly educated island. Everyone is smart ([deleted]) and they all go to college.

not really true, but in their culture you are expected to succeed, to honor your parents & ancestors, and what better way than by being a good student? its part of the culture
as to all going to college, you may want to check stats on that

When it comes time for all these students to do research papers, a veritable multitude grab their Sony laptops and go off to the Small Northern Islands where studies are forever being done on the Monkeys. Every move that every monkey makes is noted on at least three clipboards and compiled, correlated and then compared. There is nothing that is not known about these Japanese Monkeys.

In July 1984 one adolescent female Monkey was seen to take her potato slice to the ocean water and wash the sand off of it. Previously these monkeys had simply wiped off the sand. ... occasionally spitting out pieces of grit that had not been caught during the ‘wipe downs’. It was no big deal, but it was noted, “Kiki washes food in ocean before eating”.

But the next day she does the same thing. And the next day after that. Soon a few of her siblings notice. THEY BEGIN WASHING THEIR POTATOS. You need to remember that monkeys can’t talk. They had to watch and figure out what the utility of washing would provide. “OH”, they would eventually think, “washing off with water removes all of the grit… GOOD!” Once they learned it, it was not likely they would stop.

while I was volunteering for a peace coalition in the early 80's, this book made the rounds;
from:
http://www.wowzone.com/100th.htm

The Hundredth Monkey

by Ken Keyes, Jr.

THE FOLLOWING WAS TRANSCRIBED FROM A BOOK WITH COPYRIGHT INFORMATION AS FOLLOWS: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOG NO. 81-70978 / ISBN 0-942024-01-X.

This book is not copyrighted. You are asked to reproduce it in whole or in part, to distribute it with or without charge, in as many languages as possible, to as many people as possible. The rapid alerting of all humankind to nuclear realities is supremely urgent. If we are wiped out by nuclear destruction in the next few years, how important are the things we are doing today?

AUTHOR'S DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to the Dinosaurs, who mutely warn us that a species which cannot adapt to changing conditions will become extinct.

AUTHOR'S FOREWORD

Two events converged on me this summer. They supplemented each other and gave me the inspiration and added push I needed. They made me respond to the urgency I had felt brewing in me for some time to express my concern about the worldwide danger of nuclear weapons.

The first event was my viewing the videotape "The Last Epidemic," taken at a symposium held in November, 1980 on the unacceptability of nuclear weapons for human health. I was deeply impressed by the physicians and scientists who brought their knowledge and eloquence to that meeting. Their stature and level of experience, insight and courage left no doubt in my mind that my priorities had to be rearranged. I had to add my voice and speak out now!

The second experience was my exposure to the Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon, which I learned about in talks by Marilyn Ferguson and Carl Rogers. This phenomenon shows that when enough of us are aware of something, all of us become aware of it.

it was all the rage, everyone hoping for a world changing event, sort of like the "Age of Aquarius" or "Enlightenment", sorry, didn't happen

 

[WildBlueYonder]

So you should somehow rephrase your complaint. You can say that what I said is not very nice, but in fact I flattered the Asian Peoples. What, are you sensitive about being stupid in comparison. What, did you lose a scholarship at Southern Cal because the campus is now 70% Asian and they won't let stupid whites in on affirmative action yet?

you don't know how funny that is

actually, they are doing studies on why Asians out-perform other ethnics in academics, they may even 'put' math anxiety into whites taking tests in the same class, therefor outscoring them even more

I knew Japanese & Chinese while growing up, they weren't that much smarter, could be they were too Americanized

while going to Rio Hondo & Cal State LA, I did notice that foreign students form East Asia; studied more, even while riding the bus, out with friends socializing, etc...
They practiced more; I heard 3 Japanese women walk into the library at Rio Hondo, speaking Spanish all the while. Since I'm Mexican, I guess I was eavesdropping, sorry

 

[spidergoat]

So, why wouldn't the morphogenetic field have informed these monkeys earlier, since it is a behavior that racoons exhibit all the time?

 

[Q25]

Japanese are smart because they are almost chinese. True knowledge is simply true knowledge.

naw, Japanese are smart b/c they are atheists and dont confuse their kids with some religious mumbo jumbo (inteligent design $hit and other nonsense )

also Japanese kids spend more time in school than any other nation.
Ive heard when some kid is sick and cant go to school ,his mother goes in and takes notes so she can teach him at home.