# What this place reminds me of **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 22, 2013, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160 "2013-07-22T03:56:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/141 "2013-07-24T11:41:37Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > The five monkeys in a cage grabbing for bananas and getting sprayed story is not told as a parable. It is told in management books and presentations as the exact account of a scientific experiment which needs to be explained to managers or prospective managers who can’t be bothered to look at the original article. Reading scientific articles is the job of those fussy technical people who understand details, which of course isn’t the job of managers. You can’t allow technical people to be managers, of course, since that would get in the way of understanding the big picture (and, more importantly, fitting that big picture in a pre-established management paradigm). You can’t even allow technical people to directly talk to the managers, since their understanding of details might pollute the minds of the managers and prevent them from worrying about the big picture. You have to have a level of people between those technical people and the managers whose job is to wildly oversimplify and distort the ideas that the technical people are trying to get across. That way these intermediate people can sufficiently stretch the true detailed story enough to make it fit into the pre-existing mindset of the managers. > > Look, you want to look as the five monkeys in a cage grabbing for bananas and getting sprayed story as a parable? O.K., let’s look what lesson that story (as told in the OP and various management books and presentations) seems to be preaching: It’s saying that at one point long ago in your corporation someone tried something new. It didn’t work out. After that point, everyone else in the corporation was afraid to try new things. It didn’t matter that eventually everyone who actually saw the new idea not work out has since left. Just the collective memory that a new idea didn’t work has prevented people from trying new ideas. So, the management consultant says, you should try new ideas all over the place. Think outside of the box. Change everything, no matter how much it seems to threaten the corporation. Your whining that the new idea might destroy the organization is like the monkeys complaining that at one point they got sprayed with a hose. > > That’s a fairly terrible management lesson. Furthermore, it doesn’t teach most people anything new and useful. Any intelligent person and any intelligent corporation (and any intelligent institution at all) knows already that sometimes but not always new ideas are useful. You should try them if they seem reasonable. Occasionally they won’t work, but that’s a chance you should take. You have to make a compromise between never changing and always changing everything. There’s no really good rule for when changing is best. > > Furthermore, the story in the OP has almost nothing with the point that the OP was trying to make. The story is not about monkeys quarreling for no reason at all. It was about monkeys beating newcomers to their cage because those newcomers don’t understand something that happened before. Even taken as a parable, it’s not a parable applicable to the point the OP was trying to make. This. It’s too long and I didn’t read any of it. But I’m certain it’s something highly relevant and worth repeating for everyone’s benefit. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/142 "2013-07-24T11:50:19Z")
People, people, you don’t need to argue with him. [Just poke him in the carotid sinus and he’ll go down.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=696958) It’s simple. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/143 "2013-07-24T12:00:37Z")
> [@Girlundone](#): > > I’m new here so I don’t know how valuable my insights might be, but maybe grow some nads? > Hope this helps. > Xo I love it when a moron starts a thread like this and there is payoff like **Girlundone**. We should trade **get lives** for another **Girlundone** , but we’d have to give up a first round draft pick, and an aging but respectable utility infielder. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/144 "2013-07-24T12:12:58Z")
QuickSilver writes: \> It’s too long and I didn’t read any of it. But I’m certain it’s something highly \> relevant and worth repeating for everyone’s benefit. O.K., just a second while I grab the hose. I intend to get a little respect around here, no matter how many people I have to spray to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/145 "2013-07-24T12:15:52Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > People, people, you don’t need to argue with him. > > [Just poke him in the carotid sinus and he’ll go down.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=696958) It’s simple. But… but… He perceives more than us peons. Shouldn’t we take note of his superior wisdom before we poke him??? Naaaahhhh! ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/146 "2013-07-24T12:19:02Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > This is exactly what the OP is talking about. References to flinging poo are not allowed at SDMB. True. It’s shit. We fling SHIT around here. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/147 "2013-07-24T12:40:16Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > _:: Wanders in. Eats a banana. Leaves ::_ Of course you get the banana. You brought a gun to a water hose fight. ---
**Author:** ![sylmar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@sylmar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sylmar)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/148 "2013-07-24T12:55:26Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#): > > Of course you get the banana. You brought a gun to a water hose fight. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! 🙂 (As we have no banana now…) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/149 "2013-07-24T12:59:40Z")
> [@Zeke\_N.Destroi](#): > > Maybe you should look up [url=[Parable - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable)]parable Maybe YOU should look up [coding]coding[/coding]. Just kidding. The OP’s trollery is obvious. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/150 "2013-07-24T13:05:42Z")
DAY-O! DA-A-AY-O! Daylight come and me want go home… ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/151 "2013-07-24T16:01:46Z")
Just watch out for the deadly black tarantula. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/152 "2013-07-24T16:16:42Z")
I’d like to welcome **Girlundone** to the SDMB as well. You started in the deep end of the pool, so to speak. Useful and enlightening topics of conversation can be found here but other categories usually have a higher signal to noise ration that here in the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/153 "2013-07-24T16:48:33Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > Well, what’s the appropriate thing to say to an educated adult professional with an advanced degree that gets into swearing/insult matches regularly on an internet forum? “Cite?” Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/154 "2013-07-25T00:01:53Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > You still think he’s a newcomer. > > How ADORABLE. I take people at face value. It’s a personality flaw I need to work on. > [@Girlundone](#): > > get lives, > You appear obtuse. I mean that in the nicest way. > (((Hugs))) You are a bitch. I like that in a woman, which I assume you are because I take people at face value. > [@Shodan](#): > > “Cite?” > > Regards, > Shodan That triggered an asthma attack. Thanks. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/155 "2013-07-25T04:44:21Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > It’s a sick place, and its sickness makes me sad. It makes me wonder how much malice is hiding beneath the surface of the people I deal with every day, and just how deep it goes. Certainly none of you bring this kind of energy to your interactions IRL. The hell I don’t, you goat-felching ass-blister. > [@get\_lives](#): > > Why not process the malice in some more productive way? So many of you seem to glory in it. How is that helping you in the long run? What is it accomplishing? I couldn’t be more fucking productive. It’s helped me in the long run by feeding me and putting a roof over my head. And I accomplished the miraculous feat of ignoring how fucking ugly your mom is while she sucked my cock, all while wishing that her head would explode when I came so I wouldn’t have to hear her bitch about how much she hates you and wishes she had just gotten that abortion. I figure maybe I wasn’t “processing the malice” hard enough; I’ll do better next time, ya know, after her jaw heals. Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Board BBQ Pit, asshole. ---
**Author:** ![sylmar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@sylmar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sylmar)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/156 "2013-07-25T10:25:56Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > The hell I don’t, you goat-felching ass-blister. > … > Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Board BBQ Pit, asshole. I’m not running for any office but I still heartily approve of this message… ---
**Author:** ![Girlundone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Girlundone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girlundone)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/157 "2013-07-25T15:20:04Z")
[QUOTE=dropzone] You are a bitch. I like that in a woman, which I assume you are because I take people at face value. [/QUOTE] a sweet talker…\<3 Can you clarify which meaning of bitch you’re using? Hot bitch, badass bitch, pansy ass bitch, punkass bitch, stupid bitch, worthless bitch, crazy bitch…because I only accept some of those labels. Some descriptors would be helpful. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![sylmar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@sylmar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sylmar)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/158 "2013-07-25T15:40:05Z")
“Bitching” is synonymous with cool in Cali. I think Dropzone believes you are the point to which the lodestone of all cool actions points. Merely conjecture on my part… ---
**Author:** ![Girlundone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Girlundone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girlundone)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/159 "2013-07-25T16:03:47Z")
> [@](#): > > I think Dropzone believes you are the point to which the lodestone of all cool actions points. oh, ok, a cool bitch. I was going to add dirty bitch and freaky bitch to the list, but I realized hot bitch was already there, so yeah, redundant. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160/160 "2013-07-25T16:04:40Z")
Umm, **sylmar** , I recognize that you’re kinda new, but the preferred “flirting-in-the-Pit” line around here is a simple “How _you_ doin’?” You get points for smoothness with yours, though, don’t get me wrong. We just don’t really need anyone raising the bar… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-this-place-reminds-me-of/664160.md?page=9)