The Gorilla Experiment:

Once upon a time, in a universe much like our own, a group of bored human psychologists attempted to map out basic behavioral psychological by running a test case with our primate relatives, the mighty Gorilla.

They postulated, that basic animal instincts dictated much of conventional human actions and proceeded to construct a scenario to examine gorilla adaptive learning patterns.

They began by first placing a single gorilla in a closed environment with a slot for dispensing food and other materials. Gorillas are known to be especially large fans of a particular wild ginger fruit, and will go to great extents to search for and find these plants. Consequently, as part of the experiment, the scientists placed a small bundle of these fruits in the corner of the room. The gorilla predictably moved across the room and attempted to take the fruit. However, as soon as the gorilla came close to the fruit, the scientists proceeded to douse the gorilla with water from a fire hose, preventing him from obtaining his bounty. Disgruntled, the gorilla returned to the opposite corner of the room and began to sulk.

As the next part of the experiment, they placed a second gorilla into the experiment and sure enough, the newcomer quickly noticed the bounty of tasty ginger fruits sitting in the corner uneaten. The new gorilla proceed to move towards the fruit and met the same results. Just as it was about to obtain the fruit, the scientists unleashed the hose on it. Not only did they hose the new gorilla, but they also hosed the original gorilla as well. Disgruntled, both gorillas sulked away from the fruit.

Next, the scientists introduced a third gorilla into the experiment and like his predecessors before him, the newcomer proceeded to move towards the succulent and seemingly available fruit. Once again, just before the gorilla could take the fruit, the scientists unleashed the hose on him and his compatriots, much to the dismay and displeasure of the poor gorillas.

Finally, the scientists introduced yet a fourth gorilla into the experiment and sure enough, the newcomer quickly noticed the tantalizing fruit. It began to walk towards the fruit until he was intercepted by the original gorilla. The original gorilla had seen enough, and was unwilling to get hosed again. A minor scuffle broke out between the gorillas, with the two previously hosed gorillas soon joining forces against the newcomer. The three veteran gorillas proceed to beat and push the newcomer away from the fruit and after a few tries, the newcomer gave up trying to eat of the fruit. It proceeded like the others, to sulk in the room. The gorillas however, were spared the hose.

The scientists, conferred excitedly with each other as it seemed that their original hypothesis was correct. Primates share the ability to learn from experience and adapt to their environment based on specific stimulus.

Just to get more data, the scientists then introduced a fifth gorilla newcomer to the environment and watched closely to see what was almost more interesting than their original hypothesis. As expected, the newcomer moved towards the fruit, and as was in the previous case, found himself intercepted by the other gorillas. What they found to be interesting though, was that the fourth gorilla, the one introduced in just the previous case, was the gorilla to first intercept the newcomer and the first to instigate aggression. Rest of the gorillas soon joined in taunting the newcomer with pushes, shoves and attacks.

Intrigued, the scientists then decided to remove the original gorilla from the environment. He had done his time was and was now free to go. They then introduced another new gorilla and witnessed the exact same results as in the previous case. The newcomer would attempt to move towards the fruit only to be intercepted and beaten by the previous gorillas. The scientists continued to rotate the old gorillas out and place new gorillas in until all the original gorillas who had actually experienced the hose had been removed. Yet still, the gorillas appeared just as passionate and enthusiastic about beating the newcomer gorillas attempting to eat the forbidden fruit, despite personally knowing nothing of the consequences or ramifications.

So you see, the scientists learned a lot that day…about gorillas. It turns out that when their findings were published to the academic world, they were ridiculed and disregarded. Human beings apparently, are far more rational and intelligent creatures than lowly gorillas. Human beings uniquely have the ability to calculate the best course of action on a case by case basis. Human beings would never fall victim to pointless tradition and carry out all actions only with objective and comprehensive attention to the circumstances of our situation.

Long live the humans!

[ esca | 12:18 PM | ]

 

The human brain is designed to forget things it becomes accustomed to. Its almost purely a survival tactic. Enter any room with a distinct odor and stand there for 5 minutes. After that time you won’t be able to really sense the odor, especially if you become preoccupied with other tasks. Noises, tastes, sights all can become filed away quickly in your brain as having “been there done that,” freeing up your brain cells for newer more important tasks. We take things for granted simply because we have that biological imperative.

Is life then, merely a collection of phases? Are we supposed go through stages of our lives, never to return or reflect upon? Are we happier that way?

Retrace, revisit, relive.

I’ve been told I’m preoccupied with the past, but only because I feel we forget or overlook more lessons about life than we can even begin to fathom.

[ esca | 4:26 PM | ]

 

Going to New York for no real reason at all was probably the best decision I've made in the last half year of my life. It ranks right up there with a) quitting smoking b) driving up to LA to catch Coldplay in concert and showing up late to work the next day c) going out/breaking up with Jackie. In truth it will probably all be over shadowed by my impending decision on whether to commit 30 years of my life to purchasing a condo, but for the time being, it looms happily over my mind as a verying statisfying vacation. Doing stuff for no real reason can often times end up pointless and wasted, but doing stuff that you want to do(i.e. your heart tells you) but lacking the rational and logical reasons to support it can sometimes turn out alright. And sometimes, it can just be what you need to fill up that gnawing hole in the side of your stomach.

I stayed in the city the whole time, around 74th btwn Amsterdam and Broadway. Pretty close to a lot of things. I saw some museums, saw an interesting bit on stars and planets and where "we" came from(cosmic dust!), spent a lot of time in central park, and offered food to a crazy lady who tried to kiss me afterwards. I saw Proof on broadway with amazing seats, ate CHEAP and AMAZING food in chinatown, and got to walk around the Virgin Records megastore in Times Square. I even saw Blade II, which I totally recommend. Basically I did all the touristy type things except visit ground zero which I had little to no inclination to go. The really cool stuff though came in just hanging out and seeing old friends and getting that familar feeling of having never really left. Plus the nightlife was just orders of magnitude apart from San Diego.

On a side note, the subways were a lot of fun, I loved it. It felt like you were traveling in the underbelly of some great machine. New Yorkers actually have a very precise system to riding on the subways. They'll head up onto the train sporting either a headphones or carrying a periodical. The trick to blending in is to look as bored as possible, that way you don't attract unnecessary attention. If you're really cool, you'll stand in the middle of the train and not hold onto the rails. Super extra fantastic bonus points to the riders who know their route so well, that they start moving towards the exit doors seconds before the train even begins to slow down.

Speaking of which, I still have eight dollars "sunk" into a metro card. I meant to give it to Kai as a token of my friendship, but I guess I'll keep it in a drawer somewhere. Just so I can find it when I'm moving out and think about why I still have it. Anyways, I was actually just commenting the other day on how ingenious the recharge system on the card is. The minimun amount that you can "put" onto your card at one time is 10 dollars, with each usage costing you a buck fifty. That means, in order to get all your money's worth out of the card means you gotta recharge at least 2 additional times. This type of psychological imprinting is just pure brilliance, pure brilliance. Reel them in once, and keep them coming back for more until they can't stop.

But this is the stuff I love about New York, everything is so suprisingly meticulous. So much flavor to the city. Its like biting into a fresh apple after having had a stuffy nose all week. Good stuff.

[ esca | 4:21 PM | ]

 

...pain is working 10-12 hours of day and slowly watching your life go down the drain. But I've brought it all upon myself after coming back from New York City, refreshed and happy and mocking of all the poor sods who have to work 60-70 hrs in the city of big lights and rumbling subways. Yes I believe in karma, and yes I'm getting it from behind right now.

(which unfortunately conflicts with my blogging life...T.T)

On a side note, I've taken a great interest to playing SIMS now, and found out what all the hoopla is about. My stud character Victor Wang has now moved himself up the criminal hierachy to BOOKIE and will soon become the criminal mastermind that he really is. Mwahahaha.

[ esca | 3:29 PM | ]