Start with a cage containing five apes.

 In the cage, hang a banana on a string and put stairs under it.  Before
 long, an ape will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the
 banana.  As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the apes with
 cold water.

 After a while, another ape makes an attempt with the same result - all
 the apes are sprayed with cold water.  This continues through several
 more attempts.  Pretty soon, when another ape tries to climb the stairs,
 the other apes all try to prevent it.

 Now, turn off the cold water.  Remove one ape from the cage and replace
 it with a new one.  The new ape sees the banana and wants to climb the
 stairs. To his horror, all of the other apes attack him. After another
 attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he
 will be assaulted.

 Next, remove another of the original five apes and replace it with a new
 one.  The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked.  The previous
 newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm.  Again, replace a
 third original ape with a new one.  The new one makes it to the stairs
 and is attacked as well.  Two of the four apes that beat him have no
 idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs, or why they are
 participating in the beating of the newest ape.

 After replacing the fourth and fifth original apes, all the apes, which
 have been sprayed with cold water, have been replaced.  Nevertheless, no
 ape ever again approaches the stairs.  Why not?

 Because that's the way they've always done it around here.

(Sometimes you have to move mountains to change an attitude.)