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In reply to the discussion: Signs are Pointing to Obama Campaign having Dirt on Romney Finances [View all]99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)is reference to the "100th Monkey" meme, based on urban legend of a "scientific"
study of the monkeys on a remote island, where there were several distinct "tribes"
on different sides of the island. One monkey in one tribe "discovered" a new improved
way to wash sweet potatoes, and then gradually one by one the monkeys in that
tribe kept learning by emulating others, until once the 100th monkey had learned,
instantaneously ALL the monkeys on the whole island somehow were transmitted the
knowledge, even ones in other distant tribes with no physical contact.
The "research" has been disputed back and forth for decades, but I find it a useful
imagination, and I like the imagery of evolutionary consciousness.
Since I'm not quite 100% evolved yet, I chose the name 99th monkey to tip my hat
to the notion of evolutionary consciousness.
Here's what Wiki has on it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundredth_monkey_effect