Two Monkeys Were Paid Unequally
Some of you might have seen this clip or read about this experiment. It was supposed to establish if monkeys have a sense of (in)justice.
Ape is not fond of monkeys. Nevertheless, they remain a distant cousin of the apes. Ape can almost hear the monkey shouting “Take that you bitch!” Have to give it to this monkey for the courage to stand up to injustice.
The sad truth is, it is still in the cage.
How many of us are like the monkey? Stuck in the cage of poverty, dungeon of illiteracy, abyss of ignorance or shackle of responsibilities ? Every day, doing mundane, meaningless tasks and getting paid or treated unfairly? And all we could do was like what the monkey did? The only one positive thing ape noticed from the monkey was that it didn’t take it out on its fellow monkey. How many of us took it out on our fellow colleagues, friends and even family member who may be people who are in the very same predicament and in no way able to control the rewards that was given?
Was the researcher, the one who dishes out the reward, the devil? She could very well be one who was also in a cage. Conduct the experiment or she won’t get paid to repay her study or housing loans, feed her children, care for her aged parents, pay for her medical bills, receive her degree or whatever.
Who’s the devil now? Where’s the devil?
Kin Jio Leaf 