When the Monkey and Baboons were stealing, thinking it was Fun

It is another Monday, and I need to share my perspective yet again on a trending issues. My comments already appears on two WhatsApp  platforms but documented here for readers who were not parted the conversations.

This time, it is a story of Monkeys and Baboons. The story goes:

``When the Baboons and Monkeys heard that the Man who used to chase them away from the maize field had died, they hysterically celebrated. 

"The following year, there was no maize. That is when they painfully realized the dead man was the farmer!

"Under all conditions, learn to live with your enemies. You might reject them now, but soon, you will realize that they were the only pillars you needed. Not all enemies are enemies. Some are facilitators or unofficial coaches assigned to get you into shape. Others are imaginary haters.``` 

"Let's love one another despite our differences"

My comment: 

This is a powerful message that I have seen on many platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp. It generated many reactions, mostly positive. I felt the positive vibes too and aligned with the moral of the story.

By then, as much as I love this story and how it is always applicable to both sides of every argument (that is why I love it), when one goes beyond the usual instant feel-good aspect of motivational content, one can see that the story, while useful, is also dangerous to unrefined minds. Since the story is intended to be a moral lesson directed at such people, it can also go unchecked and mislead the readers.

Domestic animals exist for a reason. They feed off their owners but also render some assistance, depending on their nature. The ones that cannot hunt will keep the owner company. If they mess up the house, the owner gladly cleans it up, knowing they will serve a good purpose later.

The moral here simply is that we should learn to appreciate ourselves and useful to each other. This must be mutual and not one-sided.

However, the story is flawed from a practical angle. Baboons and monkeys were thieves, profiting from the pain and losses of the farmer. They could have done better and assisted the farmers, cultivating a symbiotic relationship instead of stealing and pillaging the hard work of the farmer.

Both will benefit and thirve together.