Dr K K Aggarwal

eMedinewS Editorial

100th Monkey Phenomenon

The success of advertising or rumors is based on the principle of collective consciousness. It is nothing but the critical mass above which the generated message spreads like fire. It has been scientifically observed and proven that rumors spread like wild fire once the critical mass of 1% in the general population is achieved. Advertisements in newsprints and in electronic media also work on the same principle.This observation is based on famous 100th-monkey phenomenon. “Long time back there was a monkey called Emo in a far off village in Japan. Monkeys at that time used to eat apples lying in the gardens full of dust. One day Emo by mistake washed the apple in the pond before eating. And from next time onwards he washed every apple he ate. From one monkey the message went to the second monkey and then to the third and so on. Many monkeys started washing apples before eating. After sometime, some neighboring monkeys from other villages also started washing apples before eating. The day the 100th monkey washed the apple and ate it, a strange phenomenon was observed all over the country. Monkeys all over the country started washing apples before eating. The critical mass in that area therefore was 100. Once the critical mass was achieved, the information spread like wild fire to each and every monkey and everybody started washing apples before eating.
Politicians make use of this principle during campaigning and make sure that the critical mass is achieved to start with. In local political meetings also, the same principle of 1% critical mass is used. For a gathering of 1000 people, politicians make sure that they have minimum 10 of their own people sitting in the audience to initiate clapping. When 10 people clap, the rest 990 will also follow and clap. Similarly, for a gathering of 2000 they will need 20 people and for 10,000 they will need 100 people.
Rumours also work on the similar principle of 1% or critical mass. You can plant 1% of the people and start spreading rumors. The only precaution that you should take is to cross 1% of the number.

Dr KK Aggarwal
Editor in Chief