I think I first read about it in Robert Pirsig’s, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. He describes a monkey trap consisting of an anchored, hollowed-out coconut with a small opening, just the right size for a monkey’s open hand to fit through. Inside the coconut the trapper places sweet rice – a monkey favorite.
The monkey comes along and places his hand inside the coconut and grabs the rice, making a fist in the process. About this time, the trapper shows up. The monkey knows he is in trouble, but he will let go of the rice. Since he holds onto the rice, he cannot get his fisted hand out of the trap.
It does not end well for the monkey. Not letting go of things may be a trap. It's certainly worth thinking about. Right?
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