We'd come together, a group of caring and passionate people, talking about how to support our community after a local tragedy. Sharing visions of healing and growth, concern for the suffering, and brainstorming plans of action and next steps to make a concrete difference, we'd come together. In a vulnerable moment of unity, a loving leader spoke up, acknowledged each one for taking responsibility in our community, and invited us to close our eyes. Into the quiet, they spoke the words:
It's clear that the interesting bits of the story are untrue; it's also clear that the important bits of the story are inspiring. As a lover of science and critical thinking, I fight against spreading false beliefs. As a lover of community and passionate action, I embrace the power of story telling. I believe there is an approach to The Hundredth Monkey myth that addresses both needs at one time. So let's do it.
What are the interesting bits? What is inspiring about them? And what does that inspiration tell me about myself and what I need?
In the story, it's interesting that non-human animals pass on learned behaviors, and inspiring that we humans are not as alone as we often think. We're related to nature, woven into nature through and through. This is endlessly fascinating and this story reminds us of it once again. I need to know that I'm not alone, that I'm connected.
In the story, it's interesting that the monkeys learned and a better way took hold. It's inspiring that progress happens. Lessons can be learned, and cultures can be influenced. I need an optimistic, hopeful vision of growth. I need examples of positive change that support me when it's hard to see the impact of my own actions.
In the story, it's interesting that a local, limited change can have a sweeping, global impact. It's inspiring that good things can happen without a lot of work, that success can sweep in unexpected, and that some of the payoff for hard work can show up in my own lifetime. Fortunate surprises are possible, too, and while I may commit myself to living well without any expectation of seeing the external rewards, sometimes breakthroughs happen. I need to recognize and celebrate the wins, and honor the contributions I make, even when the results haven't yet been revealed.
Recognizing that this popular story is a myth, more fabrication than truth, doesn't eliminate its ability to inspire. Acknowledging its allure, and understanding my own needs that draw me to it, gives me concrete and meaningful lessons to take away from it. Rather than hoping on the fantasy of an instantaneous cultural shift some time in the future, I can remind myself of the value of my contribution right now, see the incremental growth that I am a part of, and feel the connection I have to the continual unfolding of nature as it is. That's a story worth telling.
The Japanese monkey, Macaca fuscata, had been observed in the wild for a period of over 30 years. In 1952, on the island of Koshima, scientists were providing monkeys with sweet potatoes dropped in the sand. The monkeys liked the taste of the raw sweet potatoes, but they found the dirt unpleasant. An 18-month-old female named Imo found she could solve the problem by washing the potatoes in a nearby stream....They continued to tell the story of The Hundredth Monkey, a myth created in the late '70s by Lyall Watson and popularized in the '80s by Ken Keyes. Watson was a brilliant and wide-ranging promoter of pseudo-science and paranormal ideas; the Hundredth Monkey idea was one small part of his output. Keyes employed Watson's story as an inspiring twist on the daunting topic of preventing nuclear war.
It's clear that the interesting bits of the story are untrue; it's also clear that the important bits of the story are inspiring. As a lover of science and critical thinking, I fight against spreading false beliefs. As a lover of community and passionate action, I embrace the power of story telling. I believe there is an approach to The Hundredth Monkey myth that addresses both needs at one time. So let's do it.
What are the interesting bits? What is inspiring about them? And what does that inspiration tell me about myself and what I need?
In the story, it's interesting that non-human animals pass on learned behaviors, and inspiring that we humans are not as alone as we often think. We're related to nature, woven into nature through and through. This is endlessly fascinating and this story reminds us of it once again. I need to know that I'm not alone, that I'm connected.
In the story, it's interesting that the monkeys learned and a better way took hold. It's inspiring that progress happens. Lessons can be learned, and cultures can be influenced. I need an optimistic, hopeful vision of growth. I need examples of positive change that support me when it's hard to see the impact of my own actions.
In the story, it's interesting that a local, limited change can have a sweeping, global impact. It's inspiring that good things can happen without a lot of work, that success can sweep in unexpected, and that some of the payoff for hard work can show up in my own lifetime. Fortunate surprises are possible, too, and while I may commit myself to living well without any expectation of seeing the external rewards, sometimes breakthroughs happen. I need to recognize and celebrate the wins, and honor the contributions I make, even when the results haven't yet been revealed.
Recognizing that this popular story is a myth, more fabrication than truth, doesn't eliminate its ability to inspire. Acknowledging its allure, and understanding my own needs that draw me to it, gives me concrete and meaningful lessons to take away from it. Rather than hoping on the fantasy of an instantaneous cultural shift some time in the future, I can remind myself of the value of my contribution right now, see the incremental growth that I am a part of, and feel the connection I have to the continual unfolding of nature as it is. That's a story worth telling.
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