"The Hundredth Monkey"

  Who is the “Hundredth Monkey?” The first edition of Ken Keyes, Jr.’s novel, The Hundredth Monkey, was published in January 1982 with 100,000 printed copies. The book wasn’t copyrighted because Ken wanted readers “to reproduce it in whole or in part, to distribute it with or without change, in as many languages as possible, to as many people as possible.” He dedicated the book to “the Dinosaurs, who mutely warn us that a species which cannot adapt to changing conditions will become extinct.” People have the power to make changes if they can join together and raise their voices as one. There's power in numbers. Our numbers can grow exponentially if we all take it upon ourselves to spread the message that we want the installed toxic pentachlorophenol ladened poles removed, the contaminated soil cleaned up, and the high-tension wires placed underground along a major corridor away from residential neighborhoods. We as a community can achieve what is just and essential to continue promoting healthy alternatives for our energy consumption. “There is a phenomenon,” Ken shared, “that may be our only hope of a future that supports and protects both the environment and our species!” The dangers inherent in the transport of electricity through above ground, high-tension wires strung from one toxic pole to another should be a concern of every resident on Long Island and around the globe. “Here is the story of the Hundredth Monkey.” The Japanese monkey, Macaca fuscata, has been observed in the wild for a period of over 30 years. In 1952, on the island of Koshima, scientists were providing monkeys with sweet potatoes dropped in the sand. The monkeys liked the taste of the raw sweet potatoes, but they found the dirt unpleasant. An 18-month-old female named Imo found she could solve the problem by washing the potatoes in a nearby stream. She taught this trick to her mother. Her playmates also learned this new way and they taught their mother, too. This cultural innovation was gradually picked up by various monkeys before the eyes of the scientists. Between 1952 and 1958, all the young monkeys learned to wash the sandy sweet potatoes to make them more palatable. Only the adults who imitated their children learned this social improvement. Other adults kept eating the dirty sweet potatoes. Then something startling took place. In the autumn of 1958, a certain number of Koshima monkeys were washing sweet potatoes – the exact number is not know. Let us suppose that when the sun rose one morning there were 99 monkeys on Koshima Island who had learned to wash their sweet potatoes. Let’s further suppose that later that morning, the hundredth monkey learned to wash potatoes. THEN IT HAPPENED! By that evening almost everyone in the tribe was washing sweet potatoes before eating them. The added energy of this hundredth monkey somehow created an ideological breakthrough! The most surprising thing observed by these scientists was that the habit of washing sweet potatoes then spontaneously jumped over the sea – Colonies of monkeys on other islands and the mainland troop of monkeys at Takasakiyama began washing their sweet potatoes. Thus, when a certain critical number achieves an awareness, this new awareness may be communicated from mind to mind. Although the exact number may vary, the ‘Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon’ means that when only a limited number of people know of a new way, it may remain the consciousness property of these people. But there is a point at which if only one more person tunes-in to a new awareness a field is strengthened so that this awareness reaches almost everyone! Thanks to the experiments of Dr. J. B. Rhine at Duke University, we now know that the strength of this extrasensory communication can be amplified to a powerfully effective level when the consciousness of the 'hundredth person' is added." This community’s voice is needed to reverse this travesty. The world is full of miracles. Any one of us could be the “hundredth person.”  Any one of us could tip the scale to check this utility company and our governmental agencies that seem to have forgotten that their jobs are to protect and serve the people and the environment. I invite you to check out LIBFRE's website at: www.libfre.com. Get educated. Get involved.