Have you ever wondered why the elephants - the strongest and largest animals in the circus - don't just walk out of the arena to their freedom? It's because their trainers have convinced them that they're helpless.
It takes only about two weeks for a newborn elephant to become strong enough to break standard circus chains. But circus trainers use this time to their advantage. As soon as they could, the trainers chain the baby elephant to the tree. The baby elephant naturally makes many, many attempts to break free. But he fails each time because he's still to young and weak. He will eventually give up, and that will be the end of all his attempts ever. Although he grows larger and stronger later on, in his mind, the chain is still stronger that he is. In effect, he imprison himself. The chain is a constant reminder for the elephants that they are helpless.
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Francis J. Kong. "Face the facts not your stories". The Philippine Star, July 3, 2011. B-2.
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