company policy

[Масяня]

Start with a cage containing five monkeys. In the cage, hang a banana on a
string and put 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 of the monkeys with cold water. After a while, another
monkey makes an attempt with the same result: all the monkeys are sprayed
with cold water.

Pretty soon, when any monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys
will try to prevent it. Now, turn off the cold water. 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 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.

Again, replace a third original monkey with a new one. The new one makes it
to the stairs and is attacked as well.

Two of the four monkeys 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 monkey.

After replacing the fourth and fifth original monkeys, all the monkeys
which have been sprayed with cold water have been replaced.
Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs. Why not? Because that's the way it's always been around here.

And that's how company policy begins.