It seems that teams of scientists from Yale and the Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies in Rome have successfully been able to teach monkeys the value of money and how to use it to shop. According to a Daily Mail article the clever primates have learnt to deal with different denominations of currency, and have figured out how to bargain for their purchases.
But will these savvy shopping monkeys be happier now they have purchasing power?
Not according to writer David Wilson, who says unequivocally that “shopping does not make you happy” in an article for the Times Online. He goes on to suggest we stay out of the stores and stick to leisure pursuits nearer home or in peaceful pastoral settings for a stress free life. “Avoid the stress. Save your money. Save your time. Save the planet. Stay in the neighborhood or get out into the countryside. You don’t need a loyalty card there.” That’s great advice for us folks that are over the shopping thing, but what about the poor monkeys who’ve only just made it to the mall in evolutionary terms?
Then again, most of us evolved humans are trying to minimize consumerism in our lives, so it’s certainly debatable as to whether going from freeganism to consumerism is a step up for these not-so-primitive primates, especially when you consider that unlike humans, the monkeys don’t even have to dumpster dive to pursue their already freegan lifestyle.
Let’s just hope that now these monkeys can shop, Capital One doesn’t start mailing them pre-approved credit cards. I’m waiting with bated breath to hear about the first monkey to dispute a late payment fee.
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