Today I remember stumbling upon this tidbit many years ago.

Its called the 100th Monkey Theory.

I fired up HOTBOT and conducted a search.

http://www.lightshift.com/Inspiration/monkey.html

The basic premise is that within a group, once a particular pattern of behavior is adopted by a small percentage of its members, this behavior spreads like wildfire amongst the remainder of the group and to other groups.I've observed this phenomenom myself at work and play. The behavior can be positive or negative.

I've also read that this study was a hoax. It doesn't really matter to me. I think that it is a valid theory.

I hope that the 100th monkey adopts a preparation pattern of behavior relating to Y2K. And not one of self destruction.

MVI

-- MVI (vtoc@aol.com), December 01, 1998

Answers

THERE's an ECHO IN HERE!! Nothing personal MVI but this subject got a LOT of bandwidth the last month and is in the archives somewhere. It was pretty heavily dumped on...............

cr

-- Chuck a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), December 01, 1998.

Is Clinton the 100th monkey?

-- Andy from foggy San Francisco (andy_rowland@msn.com), December 01, 1998.

The theory also works when you know where to aim the monkey.

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 01, 1998.

Diane, my dear - that depends on whether you're shooting the monkey at something, or shooting something at the monkey.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 01, 1998.

Yes, there are at least 100 monkeys on this forum! :-) Here is one of the older discussions on the subject:

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000CiF

-- Gayla Dunbar (privacy@please.com), December 01, 1998.

Always do both Robert.

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 01, 1998.

If Clinton's a monkey, why don't we just shoot *him*?

A .303 should perforate him enough times to be effective.

--Leo

-- Leo (leo_champion@hotmail.com), December 01, 1998.

I guess the 100th monkey decided this wasn't a good topic.

MVI

-- MVI (vtoc@aol.com), December 01, 1998.