Joke: BUREAUCRACY AMONG APES

[Eric Thelin <eric@generation-i.com>]

          BUREAUCRACY AMONG APES
   ======================================
1. Start with a cage containing five apes. In the cage, 
hang a banana on a string and put stairs under it. 
Before long, an ape will go to the stairs and start 
to climb towards the Banana. 

2. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of 
the apes with cold water. After a while, another ape 
makes an attempt with the same result--all the apes 
are sprayed with cold water.

3. Turn off the cold water.If,later, another ape tries 
to climb the stairs, the other apes will try to prevent 
it even though no water sprays them. 

4. Now, remove one ape from the cage and replace it with a
new one. The New ape sees the banana and wants to climb the 
stairs. To his horror, all of the other apes attack him. 
After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he 
tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

5. Next, remove another of the original five apes and 
replace it with a New one. The newcomer goes to the stairs 
and is attacked.The previous Newcomer takes part in the 
punishment with enthusiasm. 

6. Again, replace a third original ape with a new one. 
The new one makes it to the stairs and is attacked as well. 
Two of the four apes that beat him have no idea why they
were not permitted to climb the stairs, or why they are 
participating in the  beating of the newest ape.

7. After replacing the fourth and fifth original apes, 
all the apes which have been sprayed with cold water 
have been replaced.

Nevertheless, no ape ever again approaches the stairs. 
Why not?

"BECAUSE that's the way it's always been done around here."