Debrief: Finding Nemo

Let's discuss for a moment the concept of Critical Mass. In laymen's terms, it's the tipping point. The point in a situation (large or small) where everything turns and becomes part of same thing, concept, trend, etc...

Seems easy. In the activity, Finding Nemo - the concept is quite clear. There comes a point where enough people have found or realized that Nemo has been found that the task of inquiring about Nemo has been abandoned and all effort goes toward getting into line before you are the last one.

This concept can be explained by this experiment: The Hundredth Monkey by Ken Keyes Jr.:

The Japanese monkey, Macaca Fuscata, had 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 monkey 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 mothers 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 known. 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!

But notice: A most surprising thing observed by these scientists was that the habit of washing sweet potatoes then 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, this Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon means that when only a limited number of people know of a new way, it may remain the conscious 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 is picked up by almost everyone.

Pretty amazing, isn't it? Now, what can't be explained by this story is how the critical number achieved awareness to the mainland colonies. One could surmise that a monkey may have been sent (or taken) to the mainland to begin the process again. What is for sure - social change can happen when we are willing to learn new ways of doing things - to abandon what we've always done and try something new.

This story also gives us hope when talking about bullying, youth and teen suicide, awareness to mental illness, and becoming an uplifting society. Just think how long that first monkey must have sat their washing their sweet potatoes as others watched, not acting. Sometimes it takes a long time to start change but when Critical Mass is reached - watch out because everything will be different and more than just where change is being created. A new awareness beyond your community may be reached.

Speaking of The Hundredth Monkey - check Nate Folan's book "The Hundredth Monkey" for piles of games based around playful learning.