Monkey Mind Simulation

his is an experiment to simulate how the Monkey Mind works. Monkey mind is a Buddhist term meaning "unsettled; restless; capricious; whimsical; fanciful; inconstant; confused; indecisive; uncontrollable.

Monkey mind is at work when you walk to the kitchen to get the pair of glasses on the table, see the refrigerator and open it to grab something to eat, realize that you are almost out of milk, get in your car to go buy milk... etc... To do this simulation I sent an image to one person who sent me back a short story inspired by that image. From that image I selected a few words, and used Google to generate a new image, which I sent to a second person, etc... I had to make a choice of the words or expression to use to generate some images in Google, and that when images had been generated, I had to chose one of them to send it to the next person That is right, I tried to pick strong images, which could easily stimulate one's imagination. Somehow, the whole experiment is tainted by my own preferences and bias. That is correct, but it is not a very big problem. After all, the individual Monkey mind is also very tainted by the individual's personality. My point was to illustrate how things work. Even if the whole thing looks crazy, there is a logic behind the working of this monkey mind. Somehow, I believe this kind of experiment could also be used to study the deep motivations or collective unconscious of a group, or Sangha... In the next pages first comes as a table the sequence of images and the words or expression I picked in each story to generate the next image. Second is the full story that each person sent me regarding the image I had sent them. The words highlighted in yellow color are the ones I used to generate the images Thanks to all those who participated in this game.

Frederic Lecut, June 12, 2011

Monkey Mind simulation

Frederic Lecut May 2011

The sequence of images and the text used to generate the next one

This train only goes East

The nomad was prepared to cut her to bits.

A log jam, in the northwest.

Monkey Mind simulation

Frederic Lecut May 2011

"up in the air"

His only chance at salvation was tracking Alison

Some young girls looking for a chance out of poverty

Monkey Mind simulation

Frederic Lecut May 2011

That's why flip flops are good,

We continued our walk along the beach.

The sound of the waves sooths troubles and restores peace.

Monkey Mind simulation

Frederic Lecut May 2011

Full stories Version

Image # 1 May 18, 2011 Go catch the train, it only stays at the station a short time. The whole point is to be fast and on time. Stepping aboard a seat toward the front is found. This trip will be fifteen minutes. No one will feel the shift into the other dimension. It is like being on a flight that breaks the sound barrier, no sound is heard inside the craft. This train only goes East, the other will bring its passengers back; it is much slower from the West. It seemingly sits still when it returns to this dimension. Hold on its leaving.

Image # 2 May 20, 2011

WAC Officer Worrels was a famous aircraft pilot who found herself stranded in the Arabian desert during World War II. She had spunk and sass, and managed to get herself out of quit a few scrapes with her quick thinking. For example, when she was downed in the desert, an Arabian nomad came upon her. Thinking she was some kind of enemy spy, the nomad was prepared to draw his sword and cut her to bits. Fortunately, Officer Worrels was able to communicate to the nomad that she was not a spy, and all she wanted was a bit of water from his camel. The entire story is told in the book, "Worrels Goes East," written by Captain W.E. Johns.

Monkey Mind simulation

Frederic Lecut May 2011

Image # 3 May 20, 2011

This plate of fries, looks like a log jam, in the northwest. Everything is jumbled and in disarray.

Image # 4 May 24, 2011

The inventor of the Teeter Totter was horrified when he was left high and dry because his partner on the other end disappeared into a hole, never to be seen again. Observers denounced the invention as too dangerous, and in order to thwart any continuance of the project, they decided to leave the inventor "up in the air" over the incidence.

Image 5 May 24, 2011

Oh my goodness: thats a lot of flights, and mine isnt even listed. Ben stared at the check-in board for several more minutes with a surging panic in his chest before turning back to the curbside check-in guy who was staring at him with an amused twinkle in his eye. How can this be? I done told you sir, the attendant said, waving Bens itinerary in the air, you come to check in at the same time that your planes supposed to arrive in Chicago. It took off
Monkey Mind simulation Frederic Lecut May 2011

from here over two hours ago. Ben snatched the paper from the mans hand, examined it carefully, and this time when he reread it he saw his error immediately. The feeling of panic slowly sank into a sickness in his stomach. He had missed the flight that was to take him to DC to meet up with Alison for the first time. Alison, the angel he had met online six months ago. Alison who had a history of men not honoring their promises, and who had told him she did not believe he would actually fly up to meet her. He knew that if he did not arrive on the appointed flight she would collapse into hysterical tears, eventually drag herself back to her lonely apartment, and would never communicate with him again. His instincts told him to run into the airport and book a later flight, but he knew his only chance at salvation was tracking Alison down by phone. But he had forgotten to write down her cell phone number when he left the house that morning. He was going to have to rush back to his home over an hour outside Atlanta and hope that he got there and called her before she saw that he was not on the plane that was due to land in just 40 minutes. He hoped that she would allow him to book a late flight and fly up to meet her tonight. He would not ask her to wait for him at the airport, but rather would catch a taxi from the airport to meet her at whatever location she would give him. Ben picked up his luggage and turned to run back to his car, ignored a cry from the baggage attendant (who he resented for his role in telling him of the mistake), and stepped into the path of a hotel bus.

Image 6 - May 31st, 2011 She is young and naive. He told her she is beautiful, if she will pose for him, he can get her a high paying modeling job. He has posed her to look seductive, to sell the photos for profit himself. It is the way of the world, for some young girls looking for a chance out of poverty and a need to be appreciated.

Image 7 June 2nd, 2011

I'm wondering why I am out here, why did I ever think I could work my way around the world by selling flip flops? This poor lady, she's just trying to be nice. She can't afford flip flops, heck, some of her kids have their feet wrapped up in blankets, they are so torn up. Everyone used to go barefoot though, why is it more dangerous these days? I guess it's all the man made materials - broken glass, polluted waters, nails and such. See, that's why flip flops are good, they can actually be helpful.

Monkey Mind simulation

Frederic Lecut May 2011

Image 8 June 6, 2011

The day was hot and the sand at the beach was even hotter. As we walked along the beach my left flip-flop suddenly broke. We entered the nearest surf shop and began looking for a new pair. There on the back wall was the largest assortment of pink shoes and flip-flops that anyone had ever seen. Some had flowers, some had rhinestones, some were striped, some were plaid and some were just plain pink plastic. We searched the rack, found the right size and took them to the register. Once we were back outside we continued our walk along the beach.

Image 9 - June 7, 2011 Sand and in the distance, sea. Two people (men?) walking (are they friends?) and beyond them, indistinct, another two. Perhaps these are two couples who are together for a holiday on the beach. Perhaps they havent seen each other for a long while. Perhaps one of the couples is having problems. They are just walking. In a little while they will return to where they are staying and have something to eat. Perhaps it will help all of them to be together by the beach where the sound of the waves sooths troubles and restores peace.

Monkey Mind simulation

Frederic Lecut May 2011