Fooling Monkeys

A monkey tamer was feeding his monkeys acorns.

狙公賦芧。

He told them, “I’ll feed you three acorns in the morning and four acorns in the evening.”

曰：「朝三而暮四。」

The monkeys were all furious at this proposal.

眾狙皆怒。

The monkey raiser then said, "In that case, I will feed you four acorns in the morning and three in the evening."

曰：「然則朝四而暮三。」

The monkeys were all delighted at this proposal.

眾狙皆悅。

Analysis

Are we any better than the monkeys in this story? We also respond to different situations with anger and happiness, and, in doing so, fail to understand that they are part of the same greater reality.