by Lara Whybrow
Many of you have probably heard of this phenomena before but it's so important to our evolution that I am going to mention it here. I also want to mention why I am not convinced by the sceptics who have debunked this effect.
The 100th Monkey effect was first mentioned by Lyall Watson in his book Lifetide. In this book, he speaks for about 4 paragraphs on the subject of the transfer of information via a form of telepathy. He noted that in a certain colony of monkeys, the habit of washing potatoes spread to other colonies of the same type of monkeys - as if by thought transference. He suggested that, as Carl Jung also believed, organisms share information in ways not easily identifiable.
The sceptics had a field day with this one! They used the classic "there is not enough evidence to support this hypothesis" and sought to discredit the 100th monkey effect. The person who seems to have done the most convincing discrediting has been Ron Amundson. Read his article here. He makes some good points but I was not convinced. I know many people keep the truth to themselves because mockery in the scientific circles could result in the end of a career.
The main reasons why I was not convinced and believe in the 100th monkey effect are as follows:
- Rupert Sheldrake has done a lot of research into this effect. He has done experiments with people, showing the answers to a puzzle to millions of people and then getting people to complete the puzzle (they obviously had to have had no idea that the answers had been broadcast already). Before he showed the answers, a certain percentage of people completed it. After he showed the answers, more people could complete it. This strongly suggested that the 100th monkey effect was a very real thing. He has done a lot of other research into morphic fields.
The 100th Monkey effect was first mentioned by Lyall Watson in his book Lifetide. In this book, he speaks for about 4 paragraphs on the subject of the transfer of information via a form of telepathy. He noted that in a certain colony of monkeys, the habit of washing potatoes spread to other colonies of the same type of monkeys - as if by thought transference. He suggested that, as Carl Jung also believed, organisms share information in ways not easily identifiable.
The sceptics had a field day with this one! They used the classic "there is not enough evidence to support this hypothesis" and sought to discredit the 100th monkey effect. The person who seems to have done the most convincing discrediting has been Ron Amundson. Read his article here. He makes some good points but I was not convinced. I know many people keep the truth to themselves because mockery in the scientific circles could result in the end of a career.
The main reasons why I was not convinced and believe in the 100th monkey effect are as follows:
- Rupert Sheldrake has done a lot of research into this effect. He has done experiments with people, showing the answers to a puzzle to millions of people and then getting people to complete the puzzle (they obviously had to have had no idea that the answers had been broadcast already). Before he showed the answers, a certain percentage of people completed it. After he showed the answers, more people could complete it. This strongly suggested that the 100th monkey effect was a very real thing. He has done a lot of other research into morphic fields.
- Lyall Watson is amazing. His books are some of the best I have ever read. He puts different streams of thought together in such a way that the bigger picture makes a lot of sense. I know that he won't say something unless he has good reason to say it.
- Plants share information all the time. For example, when certain plants are being attacked by insects they send signals to other plants nearby so that the plants can up their defenses against the invaders. Trees also communicate.
- How many times do you have that experience of your friend saying something - and you were just thinking the exact same thing?
- It is a popular saying that you become a little bit similar to the people you spend the most time with. People have a subtle effect on each other. If everyone in your group is always negative, you will be too. The psychology of crowds and mass hysteria are also observable effects.
- Plants share information all the time. For example, when certain plants are being attacked by insects they send signals to other plants nearby so that the plants can up their defenses against the invaders. Trees also communicate.
- How many times do you have that experience of your friend saying something - and you were just thinking the exact same thing?
- It is a popular saying that you become a little bit similar to the people you spend the most time with. People have a subtle effect on each other. If everyone in your group is always negative, you will be too. The psychology of crowds and mass hysteria are also observable effects.
- I have seen loads of weird stuff in my life, on that basis alone I can believe in the 100th monkey effect.
If you can't be an activist for the change that you want to see in the world, if you think you can't do anything, then at least you can work on yourself - make yourself such a positive, happy person and think good thoughts with such intensity that you affect those around you. Those people can affect the people around them, who will affect more people...
If you can't be an activist for the change that you want to see in the world, if you think you can't do anything, then at least you can work on yourself - make yourself such a positive, happy person and think good thoughts with such intensity that you affect those around you. Those people can affect the people around them, who will affect more people...
Who knows what you could spark off :)
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