Monkeys Understand Fairness

Berzerker · September 19, 2003, 00:54

According to an Emory U study, monkeys (can't remember which kind) do understand fairness. Monkeys given treats for their effort react negatively - refusing further cooperation - when they see a fellow monkey get twice the treats for doing the same labor.

Now we need to see how a monkey reacts when politicians take away 1/2 of their treat while taking 1/4 from another monkey to see if "progressive" taxation is "fair".

Urban Ranger · September 19, 2003, 03:51

Too bad that Libertarians don't.

Does that mean they are dumber than monkeys?

Solly · September 19, 2003, 03:53

Well, Ming doesn't.

Drake Tungsten · September 19, 2003, 03:59

No kidding. Shutting down that "Chicken Skin" thread was a travesty. Mike and I were having a deep conversation.

Solly · September 19, 2003, 04:19

And we hadn't even started on the thread subject yet.

monkspider · September 19, 2003, 04:21

Good, now it's time for global communism. The monkeys have spoken.

Drake Tungsten · September 19, 2003, 04:23

Quote:

And we hadn't even started on the thread subject yet.

Yeah, that too.

Solly · September 19, 2003, 04:23

OK, chicken skin: what does everyone think? I love it, it's nice to eat all on its own.

Drake Tungsten · September 19, 2003, 04:24

I enjoy it as well. They put some crazy spices on it here that make it delicious.

monkspider · September 19, 2003, 04:24

Chicken skin has an undeserved bad rap.

Solly · September 19, 2003, 04:26

It's gotta be cooked though, yeah?

Drake Tungsten · September 19, 2003, 04:28

Quote:

It's gotta be cooked though, yeah?

Of course. Chickens are dirty animals.

Solly · September 19, 2003, 04:30

It's good that we don't have European mods.

Drake Tungsten · September 19, 2003, 04:35

Indeed.

Berzerker · September 19, 2003, 04:55

Quote:

Too bad that Libertarians don't.

Does that mean they are dumber than monkeys?

Hmm...does that mean these monkeys don't understand fairness? If so, this study wouldn't be proof that libertarians are dumber according to your "logic". If not, wouldn't the similarity in how both monkeys and libertarians see fairness mean both are smarter than you?

Skanky Burns · September 19, 2003, 05:27

The monkey part of the story is interesting.
The troll attached to it isn't.

Berzerker · September 19, 2003, 05:34

Don't you see the implication of this study?

Kropotkin · September 19, 2003, 05:41

And some spiders eat their males after sex, se the implications of that eh?

Berzerker · September 19, 2003, 06:21

Is that "fair"?

MikeH · September 19, 2003, 07:12

Quote:

Originally posted by Berzerker
According to an Emory U study, monkeys (can't remember which kind) do understand fairness. Monkeys given treats for their effort react negatively - refusing further cooperation - when they see a fellow monkey get twice the treats for doing the same labor.

Now we need to see how a monkey reacts when politicians take away 1/2 of their treat while taking 1/4 from another monkey to see if "progressive" taxation is "fair".

Try setting one monkey up in a luxurious cage with as many treats as it wants and an extensive training program to teach it different kinds of labour.

Set the other monkey in a crappy old cage with bad food and no training.

Give both monkeys the chance to earn more treats by performing the labour tasks the first monkey was trained on.

See if they think it's fair.

Stefu · September 19, 2003, 07:16

Chicken skin is a great compliment to the chicken proper if it's roasted properly. Otherwise, it's ikky.

Drake Tungsten · September 19, 2003, 07:18

What do Finns know about good cuisine?

DaShi · September 19, 2003, 07:48

It doesn't show that monkeys understand fairness. It just shows that they are greedy little buggers, who'll steal your hat!

BeBro · September 19, 2003, 08:34

Proof that they have nothing in common with humans

Japher · September 19, 2003, 13:00

Isn't chicken skin called Cracklin? or something... I've seen Jaque Pepon fry it and put it on salad before... My lil' sis loves chicken skin, I don't care much for it...

Monkeys are awesome, they aren't stupid like Otters or Squirrels

BeBro · September 19, 2003, 13:05

You´re a Otter-hater!

Lawrence of Arabia · September 19, 2003, 14:25

Tell me how its fair when tax revenue from the poor exceeds that of the rich? The rich get a lot more from the state then the poor do, so its only 'fair' (again, the use of that word) that the rich pay more.

Japher · September 19, 2003, 14:28

Quote:

its only 'fair' (again, the use of that word) that the rich pay more.

The rich do pay more

Quote:

rich get a lot more from the state then the poor do

They do? Are there special roads/services/police stations just for the rich? I guess I missed that... Do you ever stop and realize that the rich actually put more into the system than the poor do?

Life ain't fair, and neither are taxes (no matter how much), sitting around living with this type of attitude will get you know where... Become rich and then we'll see what you are complaining about.

Arrian · September 19, 2003, 14:28

Did the Monkeys who felt wronged throw poo at the trainers?

-Arrian

Japher · September 19, 2003, 14:30

BeBro: Oh, I'm not an Otter hater or a Squirrel hater, I just did said that because a) it's true and b) to get a rise out of you and Boshko.

Monkey's throw poo just for fun sometimes, they don't have to be mad.