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Its sad that we have to use animals like this for our entertainment. This is not OK and not amusing. Also, consider the fact that many animals are abused and beaten as a form of \"training\" to get them to do stunts like this. The sooner we learn to treat all living beings with respect and dignity, the sooner this world will be a much better place.
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@GoVegan: Also, the perspective of \"entertainment\" is relative. If you believe that a being of higher order such as god or a family of deities exists, then we are essentially his or their entertainment for the eternity they live are we not? So should these divine beings be damned they created us and granted us life? Likewise, you might not think it's entertainment, but the monkeys themselves may. Just as we have a curiosity of other species, other animals do as well. The monkeys may just as well be entertaining themselves from satisfying the curious animals who smile at them when they do an act they still don't quite understand, and in return these animals hand them food the monkeys like.
@neko613: I disagree with our vegan friend too, but your reasoning is also slightly retarded. Speaking in defense of people who believe in god, they don't believe we're here for his entertainment. And even so, saying that we can act like gods to lower life forms? Also retarded. If you're going to argue about god you need to first understand what people who believe in god consider him to be. It's not a hierarchy where he's the general, ergo we must be the lieutenants and the monkeys are privates. More like god is grand marshal dictator supreme, over everything. We have no rank in the system.
Not that I necessarily believe in god. But I felt I had to point that out.
@GoVegan: Get real. These animals aren't close to being abused in the environment mentioned above. They have learned through behavior modeling, something quite common in animals like monkeys and other species of apes. The monkeys realize that a certain behavior grants them tasty food, so they keep doing it. It's called survival. Same with human behavior, yet I don't see you damning parents for educating their children how to survive outside in society and make a living. So are parents all of a sudden considered \"abusing\" their kids for teaching them how to do math or read a book? Oh please....
@GoVegan: First off, don't tell me what is and isn't amusing. Frankly I think monkey waiters are incredibly amusing...as are vegans for that matter.
Second, you have absolutely ZERO evidence to justify you spouting off about your suspected mistreatment of these animals. They explain how they trained the first, and there's no reason to think the others could/would not be trained in the same way.
I personally think you are just trolling and being an \"angry vegan on a crusade\" without any real facts (for this specific situation, not saying animal abuse does not occur).
Drop the party line already and get over yourself.
@GoVegan: Surely you must be kidding? You must be one of those people who thinks anyone who eats meat is a horrible person. Your standard response to seeing someone eat meat is probably \"have you ever been to a slaughterhouse?\"
Actually, I have - and I enjoyed a delicious burger right after.
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@GoVegan: I can't even wrap my brain around why you think the way you do. This monkey is not being harmed in any way. God...
Your attitude is so extreme that I almost want to think you're baiting us; a Troll.
@GoVegan: I was going to make some snide remark about PETA crying, but you already made the standard PETA plea.
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@GoVegan: You're just jealous of all the soybeans the monkey is getting, vegan.
Seriously though, many species of animal enjoy being trained and challenged. Monkeys are one of them, as are alskan sled dogs. Just because the monkeys are not in the wild does not mean they are being abused.
@anyone: You really can't expect to be able to argue with someone with \"vegan\" in their name.
To answer his question, when the monkeys decide to stop, perhaps they end up on the plate. The Japanese eat some odd things, maybe they would eat their own waiters too.
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@GoVegan: Did you RTFA? The monkey started performing these \"stunts\" all on his own. The only difference is that now he is rewarded for his efforts with delicious edamame.
@Clobberella: Yes I read the article and saw that there was 1 monkey doing this on his own. It mentions nothing about how the other monkeys got started or what happens when that 1 monkey decides not to do his act anymore. On a side note - I just love Consumerist. Where else can you go on the net and have a debate about monkeys as a consumer based issue? This is probably the last place in America where freedom really exists. :)
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@Darkest Daze: Too bad we don't accord teen-aged jeans models the same respect we have for dumb animals. If you think the monkeys are exploited, surely the humans are too...
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@Marshfield: True. But while some of us admit to having sex with (briefly) jeans-clad, teen-ish models, not quite so many of us admit to doing the hot-n-heavy with monkeys. Err, while sober.
@se7a7n7: Funny. I always assumed that it was the cats that were running things on The Planet of the Apes. From behind the scenes of course, as is their nature.
Exhibit A: monkeys weren't allowed to drink milk.
Exhibit B: no visible containers of Perfect Oatmeal. Anywhere.
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@GoVegan: How can you jump to conclusions like that? I completely agree with you that animals should be treated with respect, but you're making assumptions that probably aren't true. Why can't we use animals for entertainment? They're getting paid, just like movie stars.
@kyel57: You mean that their \"owners\" are getting paid just like movie stars. I am not assuming anything but I do know that people have a long history of abusing animals to turn a profit. I also understand that there are exceptions to every rule but a lot of people throw respect and dignity out the window when profit is involved. Unfortunately we don't just treat animals like that but other humans as well. My conclusion is that I hope he is treating his monkeys well and they are happy but I highly doubt that is the case.
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What happens if one of those monkeys is found to be spitting in the food (or worse). What's \"damn dirty apes\" in Japanese?
@IHaveAFreezeRay:
Kuso saru me!