In a forest full of monkeys I saw the paradox of progress.
I remember a while back I was over in Bali. In Ubud, there’s a monkey forest, so I that was worth a look.
I’m bound to find some quality knick-knacks there, I thought.
There were certainly a lot of monkeys, like heaps. What’s the collective noun? Barrel? There were barrels and barrels of monkey.
They were just going about their lives – being monkeys. But probably the most interesting thing was the interaction between the monkeys and the humans. For a couple of bucks you could buy some bananas. Then you’d hold one up above your head and a monkey would jump up on your shoulders and eat the banana.
For nothing you could stand there and watch monkeys clamber all over squealing blonde tourists and pull at their earrings.
Priceless.
Anyway, I’m watching all this playing out, and I’m thinking, as far as monkey life goes, this is probably as good as it gets.
You’ve got no natural predators, since the forest is enclosed by the city and the tigers have long since disappeared. The forest staff also roll out a trailer full of sweet potatoes every day to keep you nourished and to stop you wandering off too far.
On top of that, as a treat you got to bounce up and down on a backpacker and someone gives you a banana.
(It’s been a long time since anyone gave me a banana for doing that.)
Anyway, I’m looking at all this and thinking, for the monkeys here, life is sweet.
But when you stopped and watched it all play out, it was actually pretty hectic. Monkey politics is intense. The monkeys live in large social hierarchies, with relative positions in the pack constantly being enforced or tested.
Mates and small patches of turf are defended viciously. Angry males will have a go at any one – even the juveniles.
In the short time I was there I saw at least three or four monkey’s walking around with open head wounds.
So I climbed back over the fence, put my thongs back on and said, I’m not going to trade my humanity for a monkey. Human life is full of dramas and hardships, but I can pretty much guarantee that I’m going to end the day without an open head wound.
And for me this points to one the great myths about wealth and about abundance.
We like to think that if we suddenly won the lotto or something like that, it would make life sweet. We’d be able to solve all of the problems currently on our plate. It would give us the capacity to heal our relationship with family and friends – or just go out and buy an entirely new set!
And we know that sudden wealth can be a total curse. It can tear lives apart. Your life can suddenly fill with opportunistic bloodsuckers, and the ability to be able to buy whatever you want can go to your head.
A lot of people end up a lot worse off than when they started.
But we’re pretty sure that wouldn’t happen to us. That only happens to “other people”. We’d be right. We’d be able to keep our heads in a tsunami of cash.
In my experience, sudden cash acts like an accelerant. If you’re a grounded person with solid relationships and a reliable support network, there’s a good chance you’ll be right.
But if your screws are a bit loose and your friends and relatives are a bit nutty, you’re in trouble. Cash just pours fuel on the fire.
It’s like dumping a truckload of bananas in a forest full of monkeys. All that sugary energy goes straight into squabbles and score settling.
And the same is true at the big-picture level. We might think that if only there was more food and resources to go round, we’d all stop fighting and the world would know peace.
But it doesn’t work that way. If we’re freed from material concerns, then we just have more time to argue over who’s got the biggest banana.
And this is the great paradox of progress. Despite all the advances of the 20th century, it doesn’t feel like we’re any closer to building a cohesive society of peace and getting-along-togetherness.
Happiness is always an inside job. It requires doing the deep work. That’s true for individuals and its true for societies.
But before anyone gets on their high-horse, it’s important to point out that while wealth doesn’t solve all our problems, neither does poverty. In fact, it just doesn’t have much to do with it.
Monkeys have monkey problems. Removing the bananas wouldn’t change any of that. Maybe they might have less time for fighting if they had to spend more time foraging. Maybe, but it could just as easily go the other way.
Hungry monkeys are dangerous monkeys.
And humans have human problems. If you’re angry and reactive, insecure and conniving, no amount of cash is going to help you. It’s just going to give you the ability to act more powerfully on your anger and jealousy.
But giving up all your bananas and embracing poverty isn’t going to help you either. Now you’re just angry and reactive and hungry.
Happiness is always an inside job, and it requires doing the deep work. There’s no exceptions to this.
Money has almost nothing to do with it.
So why are you still resisting it?
Who’s got a big banana? Have you seen cash make life miserable for someone? Have you seen poverty solve anyone’s problems?
Phil says
Having no bananas who am I to comment!!!!!
The latest offering on Tv “the briefcase” appears to pit “people in need” against each other. Reflecting on the first episode where farmers who have lost everything against woman who has lost all limbs. Instead of saying all/some/none for you maybe a longer term approach where invest the $100k and with the ongoing returns have both. Rebuild you life and help many people with no limbs. The choice the farmers have to make is really bananas today and when try are gone they are gone, take a more long term view. Probably not what Tv station what. Better to have monkeys on backpacker
Fini de Gersigny says
A really insightful piece of writing on the human condition. Well put mate
Chris says
Having been a multi millionaire at a young age and then losing it years later, I can relate to this story. Money didn’t make me happy and I was more likely to jump out of my South Perth Penthouse apartment window in those days than I was when reduced to a 2 bedroom unit and nothing. I now have 12 properties again and have a bigger banana than my piers. But its no longer an attachment or necessity – its a game I play. And if I ever have to go back to nothing again, I will still be happy.
glenn lambert says
I’m pretty sure that if your not fighting for bananas ie; got a little bit of loot behind you, then you certainly have more time to focus on the things that truly make you happy! When you break it down we kinda all get a good vibe from the basics of life; self discipline, thoughtfulness, good health, charity, connection with others etc and if you were lucky enough to be born in a land of opportunity with people around you that could teach you those values then your probably fairly happy. On the other side if you didn’t get that and your battling the demons of life ie; not enough loot and just trying to get by, then being happy is probably a harder task, not impossible but a little harder. More often than not having choices is a direct result of having CASH! Poor and happy or rich and happy, hmmm? Happiness is an inside job and having some money can make that job so much easier!
Chris says
The value of the Banana or the value of happiness is really whats being spoken about here. What is your value to either? If you truly want to be happy, then within yourself you will make it happen. Cause>Effect. Are you at Cause of your Wants or are you at the Effect of something that stops you getting what you truly desire?!
Abner says
True Healing or happiness comes only if we lay down our lives. And stop living for I or me. Money will follow wise & generous people.
“love your neighbour as yourself”
Jesus
Michael Behrends says
Another great article Jon. I enjoy your writing and your thinking. Regards
Justin says
Spot on. Here are two links from other professionals on the same topic.
http://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_asks_why_are_we_happy
Megan Hogan says
I had a huge smile whilst reading this remembering a trip to Bali and seeing similar. But the essence of the story is very real, do we cause our own dramas via the choices we take, but if we remain happy and relaxed, dealing with what is directly in our control and passing on the dram that could be if we get involved, then out banana for everyone reality is possible. Keep smiling!