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Chicago Public School and The Wet Monkey Theory

African American teens kicking and striking schoolmate Derrion who is also African American with splintered railroad ties.
African American teens kicking and striking schoolmate Derrion who is also African American with splintered railroad ties.
I first heard about The Wet Monkey theory several years ago while in graduate school. I am not sure if the Wet Money theory is an urban legend or an actual theory. From every indication, it seems to be based on the famous Pavlov’s salivating dog experiment. The reality is, it teaches a lesson on group think or mob thinking. Additionally, there have been many psychological experiments with an attempt to understand how group of an apparent ordinary non-violent, religious, law abiding students could performed barbaric acts against a fellow school mate.  


The recent barbaric and mob killing of 16 year-old Derrion Albert, a honored student at Chicago’s Fenger High School by schoolmates is pale in comparison to some of the horrendous, monstrous, and gruesome killings of Chicago Public School students. Derrion Albert’s killing is more publicized because it was captured on tape. According to prosecutors, Derrion Albert, an "innocent bystander" walked out of school and into the middle of a street fight between two feuding school gangs.

Since the beginning of this school year, approximately 40 Chicago Public Schools students have been killed. Pictures from some of those murdered scenes look worse than a scene from fighting in the Shiite slum of Sadr city, in Baghdad, Iraq.

Now back to the Wet Monkey theory – The Wet Monkey theory, starts with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all the other monkeys with cold water. After a while another monkey makes the attempt with same result, all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put the cold water away. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys 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.

Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs he is attacked. Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all of the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the banana. Why not? Because as far as they know that is the way it has always been done around here.

The Wet Monkey theory is an interesting study into human collective behavior and how people can be influenced to conform to irrational logic through collectivism. I am strongly convenience that the behaviors of some of those students did not reflect the behavior of their parents. Yet, other students were mirror images of the homes or l should I say lack of homes they came from.

 

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Reader Feedback

2 Responses to “Chicago Public School and The Wet Monkey Theory”

  1. Maria

    It is sad and disheartening to see our youth breakdown to such a barbaric and sub-human behavior.

    10:34 AM on 10/1/09
  2. Donald

    Blacks are doing a GREAT job by themselves. Can’t blame the White Supremacist or KKK any longer.

    1:33 PM on 10/1/09

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