When we don't think independently, social norms can reinforce in us all of the wrong behaviors. I see this among some (not all) brothers online. Their shouting down of conversations is less about thinking clearly or applying the principles of the Craft, and it's more about participating in, and reinforcing social norms.
The "Five Monkeys" experiment here is a classic, Freemasons take heed. :)
A researcher puts five monkeys in a cage. There’s a bunch of bananas hanging from a string, with a ladder leading to the bananas. When the first monkey goes for the bananas, the researcher sprays all five monkeys with freezing water for five minutes. Some time later, when a second monkey inevitably tries to go for the bananas, the researcher once again sprays all five monkeys with the cold water for five minutes. The researcher then puts the hose away and never touches it again. But, when a third monkey tries to go for the bananas, the other four attack him to prevent him from climbing that ladder. They are afraid of the punishment that may come.
Then, the researcher replaces one of the monkeys with a new monkey who wasn’t part of the original experiment and was never sprayed with water. And, as soon as he touches the ladder to go for the bananas, the other four monkeys attack him to keep him from doing so. If he tries again, they attack him again. Thus, the new monkey learns not to go after the bananas because he’ll get attacked if he does.
The researcher replaces a second monkey with another new monkey. When this monkey goes for the bananas, the other four attack him, including the new monkey who was never sprayed with water. The researcher then continues to replace all the monkeys one at a time, until all five of the original monkeys are removed from the cage. Each time the newcomer goes for the bananas, the others attack, even when they, as new monkeys, have never received punishment for going after the bananas. And thus, the new monkeys, who have never been sprayed with cold water, learn not to go after the temptation of the bananas.
The researchers hypothesize that, if they were to ask the monkeys why they don’t go for the bananas, they’d answer “because that’s the way it’s always been done”.
These types of experiments have been done with humans as well. No one questions why, they just conform to the wad, the mass.
A young master mason was mentoring a new EA who was eager to learn. He had picked up morals and dogma and was reading it. Glutton for punishment. Anyway, when his mentor found out that he was reading it, he told him to stop, as it was going to ruin his experience going through the degrees. You should never try and stop a thirst for more light regardless of its origins. I’ve read books where I didn’t agree with everything written, but it made me think why and that is what gaining knowledge should do.
We had a Temple Board Meeting tonight. Seems that your comment led our after the meeting discussion as we talked about the five monkeys! Thank you Brother.
Glad you enjoyed it. There is actually an *inverse* story to the 5 monkeys that I've often kept in mind personally as a leadership lesson. This from a great colleague of mine at a past job:
"Carrots ALWAYS work better than sticks. The world is full of donkeys. If you use the stick, you have to beat all of the donkeys one-by-one, but hang just one carrot out, and they all come".
This always made me laugh but I think there's wisdom in it too. As I think about it, it's the opposite of the 5 monkeys who are motivated by avoidance of leadership punishment (originally).
A leader should figure out where he wants the group to go, communicate that vision to the group, get their buy-in, and then it will all come easily. Without that, it will always be a struggle.
i have seen three types of dialogue concerning Masonic topics. 1- intrenched thinking that leads to personal attacks, 2- Everyone is right, leading to nothing, 3- Respectful debate intended to discover the truth. The first one is a cancer on the Craft. The second one prevents us from moving forward or growing as men. 3- the final one, not only pursues the truth (as best as we can) but teaches us to hold differing opinions and still get along, as well as learn to abandon ideas we may have held when confronted with better data. I support the 3rd. Over my years i have developed 2 rules that have served me well. Rule 1- The Truth is a lie and the lie is a trap, Rule 2- Everyone is right. These rules might make it sound like i hold the 2nd approach to be best, but they don't. These rules apply to MY behavior and thinking. Rule one calls me to question everything i hold as Truth. The second advises me to consider that every idea held by everyone is true, in some sense, even if just their point of view. I look for the truth in everyone's belief. These rules allow me to respect others point of view, and to loossen my hold on my truth.
Open discussions about all aspects of our Fraternity should be welcomed and encouraged, not just the ones that reinforce our way of thinking.
Personally, I've had conversations with several members from Lodges that would be considered irregular. I don't sit in Lodge with them, I don't discuss what my own Jurisdiction considers topics that are off limits to the "profane," but I have found that their insights to be interesting and worthy of contemplating when used as a lens to look through. I will say that the depth of knowledge some of these folks have makes me feel like I'm back in the 1st grade and need to get back to studying.
So, I say, let folks share their knowledge and make their recommendations and as many of us were told when we were young, "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all."
There is a irregular Masonic Lodge that used to post their educational topics online to encourage their members to attend. I was always quite impressed with the depth of Masonic education they strove to provide, and it has at least partly influenced my thinking about the education that we need to be giving our members.
When we don't think independently, social norms can reinforce in us all of the wrong behaviors. I see this among some (not all) brothers online. Their shouting down of conversations is less about thinking clearly or applying the principles of the Craft, and it's more about participating in, and reinforcing social norms.
The "Five Monkeys" experiment here is a classic, Freemasons take heed. :)
A researcher puts five monkeys in a cage. There’s a bunch of bananas hanging from a string, with a ladder leading to the bananas. When the first monkey goes for the bananas, the researcher sprays all five monkeys with freezing water for five minutes. Some time later, when a second monkey inevitably tries to go for the bananas, the researcher once again sprays all five monkeys with the cold water for five minutes. The researcher then puts the hose away and never touches it again. But, when a third monkey tries to go for the bananas, the other four attack him to prevent him from climbing that ladder. They are afraid of the punishment that may come.
Then, the researcher replaces one of the monkeys with a new monkey who wasn’t part of the original experiment and was never sprayed with water. And, as soon as he touches the ladder to go for the bananas, the other four monkeys attack him to keep him from doing so. If he tries again, they attack him again. Thus, the new monkey learns not to go after the bananas because he’ll get attacked if he does.
The researcher replaces a second monkey with another new monkey. When this monkey goes for the bananas, the other four attack him, including the new monkey who was never sprayed with water. The researcher then continues to replace all the monkeys one at a time, until all five of the original monkeys are removed from the cage. Each time the newcomer goes for the bananas, the others attack, even when they, as new monkeys, have never received punishment for going after the bananas. And thus, the new monkeys, who have never been sprayed with cold water, learn not to go after the temptation of the bananas.
The researchers hypothesize that, if they were to ask the monkeys why they don’t go for the bananas, they’d answer “because that’s the way it’s always been done”.
These types of experiments have been done with humans as well. No one questions why, they just conform to the wad, the mass.
A young master mason was mentoring a new EA who was eager to learn. He had picked up morals and dogma and was reading it. Glutton for punishment. Anyway, when his mentor found out that he was reading it, he told him to stop, as it was going to ruin his experience going through the degrees. You should never try and stop a thirst for more light regardless of its origins. I’ve read books where I didn’t agree with everything written, but it made me think why and that is what gaining knowledge should do.
I have heard similar stories of experienced Masons discouraging new Masons from reading. I actually encountered it once.
Insane.
We should be encouraging our Masons to read! I can't fathom doing otherwise.
So...
We had a Temple Board Meeting tonight. Seems that your comment led our after the meeting discussion as we talked about the five monkeys! Thank you Brother.
Glad you enjoyed it. There is actually an *inverse* story to the 5 monkeys that I've often kept in mind personally as a leadership lesson. This from a great colleague of mine at a past job:
"Carrots ALWAYS work better than sticks. The world is full of donkeys. If you use the stick, you have to beat all of the donkeys one-by-one, but hang just one carrot out, and they all come".
This always made me laugh but I think there's wisdom in it too. As I think about it, it's the opposite of the 5 monkeys who are motivated by avoidance of leadership punishment (originally).
Agreed, there is much wisdom to this.
A leader should figure out where he wants the group to go, communicate that vision to the group, get their buy-in, and then it will all come easily. Without that, it will always be a struggle.
i have seen three types of dialogue concerning Masonic topics. 1- intrenched thinking that leads to personal attacks, 2- Everyone is right, leading to nothing, 3- Respectful debate intended to discover the truth. The first one is a cancer on the Craft. The second one prevents us from moving forward or growing as men. 3- the final one, not only pursues the truth (as best as we can) but teaches us to hold differing opinions and still get along, as well as learn to abandon ideas we may have held when confronted with better data. I support the 3rd. Over my years i have developed 2 rules that have served me well. Rule 1- The Truth is a lie and the lie is a trap, Rule 2- Everyone is right. These rules might make it sound like i hold the 2nd approach to be best, but they don't. These rules apply to MY behavior and thinking. Rule one calls me to question everything i hold as Truth. The second advises me to consider that every idea held by everyone is true, in some sense, even if just their point of view. I look for the truth in everyone's belief. These rules allow me to respect others point of view, and to loossen my hold on my truth.
Your two personal rules are interesting. You have given me something to think about tonight. Thank you VW!
Open discussions about all aspects of our Fraternity should be welcomed and encouraged, not just the ones that reinforce our way of thinking.
Personally, I've had conversations with several members from Lodges that would be considered irregular. I don't sit in Lodge with them, I don't discuss what my own Jurisdiction considers topics that are off limits to the "profane," but I have found that their insights to be interesting and worthy of contemplating when used as a lens to look through. I will say that the depth of knowledge some of these folks have makes me feel like I'm back in the 1st grade and need to get back to studying.
So, I say, let folks share their knowledge and make their recommendations and as many of us were told when we were young, "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all."
There is a irregular Masonic Lodge that used to post their educational topics online to encourage their members to attend. I was always quite impressed with the depth of Masonic education they strove to provide, and it has at least partly influenced my thinking about the education that we need to be giving our members.