The problem with People
I've heard more and more people on the forums wondering why the average Joe out there just ~doesn't get it~. Here is an analogy that I use when talking to people to get the point across... it's odd, but it works.
Take a frog and throw it into a pot of boiling water. It'll jump out as quickly as possible! Take the same frog, put it in a pot of cold water, and heat it up slowly... it will sit in the water until it dies. (I've not had the heart to bench test this theory, I'm just going with what I was told.)
That's where the majority of Americans are right now... they're comfy in that hot water. Getting them to make that ~leap of faith~ to get out of the pot seems impossible sometimes... but I've been able to sleep a lot better since I've been spreading the word to others.
As I stated before, I've no idea why people can relate to that analogy, but it seems to work. As you've probably noticed in reading this little blurb, I'm not exactly the most eloquent speaker/blogger out there.
Much prefer the "Parable of the Banana"
Put five monkeys in a cage. Inside that cage, hang one banana on a string and place a ladder under it. Keep a garden hose nearby. Soon one of the monkeys will spot the banana and start to climb the ladder to get it. When he does, spray all of the other monkeys with cold water. Now, replace the banana.
After a while another one of the monkeys will probably go for the banana. Again, spray all of the other monkeys with cold water.
Monkeys are relatively smart, so pretty soon, whenever one of the monkeys attempts to climb the ladder, all the other monkeys will try to prevent him from doing it. When that happens, put away the cold-water hose. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one.
Now hang a new banana over the ladder.
The new monkey will spot the banana and head for the ladder. To his surprise, all of the other monkeys will spontaneously attack him. After several more futile attempts, all of which will result in further beatings, the new monkey will no longer try for the banana.
Remove another of the original monkeys and again replace it with a new one. Now replace the banana. Again, the new monkey will make a grab for it. Like his predecessor he will be stunned to discover that all the other monkeys attack him. In fact, the previous newcomer will most likely take a particularly enthusiastic role in his replacement’s punishment.
One at a time, gradually replace all of the original monkeys with new ones. Each of the newcomers will go for the banana. Each one will be attacked by the other four. Most of the new monkeys have absolutely no idea why they were not allowed to climb the ladder, or why they are participating in the assault on the newest monkey.
When all of the original monkeys have been replaced, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, not one of those monkeys ever approaches the ladder.
Why not?
Because as far as they are concerned that’s the way it has always been done around here.
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Here's another in a similar vein
If you take a jar and put fleas in it with a lid on it they will jump and repeatedly hit the lid at first. In time they will learn to jump just high enough not to slam into the lid.
Once that happens you can take the lid off and they won't ever jump out.
A non-CFR Ron Paul candidacy is the lid being taken off the jar for the first time in decades!!! JUMP WITH ALL YOU'VE GOT!!!!!
credit to Zig Ziglar and others - http://ezinearticles.com/...
BWahahaha
That is awesome! LOL!!