Now That's Sad and Stupid
What is it with people who so adore anthropomorphizing animals to the extent that they model them after all the customary things that people do, to demonstrate what, how brilliantly they handle animals, breaking them of their own habits and predilections and installing in their stead human ones? Is this a demonstration of care and love of animals, or simply human stupidity and egotism gone awry?
Yes, there are animals who are trained to behave in certain ways that really emphasize their animal character with a touch of a wry send-up of human traits, used to bring a little humour - or occasionally tension - to films, interacting with the human principals. They can inject a bit of drama, tension, humour, and special interest when they're introduced into a narrative playing out on the large screen.
But taking an animal from an early age and teaching it to pattern itself after another species? What, precisely, is the point, other than to make of it a mockery, an amusement for other humans? People have a propensity to the belief that they are capable of controlling the savage, the wild, in animals. How this is possible when people are incapable of controlling themselves and their most egregious emotions is beyond me.
Yet here's the story of an 89-kilogram chimpanzee whom its owner, an elderly 70-year-old woman, has taught from infancy to be a human child, and then, as a 15-year-old chimp, the reflection of a reliably biddable human. One that, given the innate cleverness and ability to emulate of primates, proved capable of absorbing the lessons given it.
The chimpanzee was toilet trained (just like a companion dog) was able to dress itself in clothing tailored for it, sat at the dinner table to eat and even enjoyed a goblet of wine. He obediently and conscientiously brushed his teeth, like any well-behaved adolescent, watched television and was able to use the remote to play his favourite baseball games.
This bespoke the patience of his training. The patience of his trainer, and the patience of the chimpanzee in allowing himself to be trained. Animals, like humans, do want to please those to whom they are beholden for their food and comfort. He also became a celebrity, appearing in advertisements and television shows, bringing a certain kind of celebrity to his owner.
That has now been transformed to a kind of notoriety. Evidently the primate pet had been exposed to deer ticks and was being treated for Lyme disease. The pharmaceutical being used was noted for causing mood swings, panic attacks and paranoia in humans. And that's how it seemed to impact the chimpanzee, too, and to counteract his agitation he was administered a dose of anti-anxiety drug.
But the animal wasn't about to be pacified, and began acting out, making its way outside the house in Connecticut, where he came face to face with a friend of his owner and proceeded to viciously attack the 55-year-old woman who received severe lacerations to her face, neck and hands. The owner attempted to fend him off, by stabbing the chimpanzee with a kitchen knife.
When police arrived, the altercation began to include police officers, whom the chimpanzee then attacked. He opened one patrol car door, and tried to insert himself into the vehicle, when one of the officers finally shot the animal. When police followed the trail of blood, they found it had made its way back into the house.
To its living quarters, where it died. A hapless animal whose natural life was revoked for the pleasure of a woman who owned him, and which proved it could become as berserk as any human in a psychotic rage.
Yes, there are animals who are trained to behave in certain ways that really emphasize their animal character with a touch of a wry send-up of human traits, used to bring a little humour - or occasionally tension - to films, interacting with the human principals. They can inject a bit of drama, tension, humour, and special interest when they're introduced into a narrative playing out on the large screen.
But taking an animal from an early age and teaching it to pattern itself after another species? What, precisely, is the point, other than to make of it a mockery, an amusement for other humans? People have a propensity to the belief that they are capable of controlling the savage, the wild, in animals. How this is possible when people are incapable of controlling themselves and their most egregious emotions is beyond me.
Yet here's the story of an 89-kilogram chimpanzee whom its owner, an elderly 70-year-old woman, has taught from infancy to be a human child, and then, as a 15-year-old chimp, the reflection of a reliably biddable human. One that, given the innate cleverness and ability to emulate of primates, proved capable of absorbing the lessons given it.
The chimpanzee was toilet trained (just like a companion dog) was able to dress itself in clothing tailored for it, sat at the dinner table to eat and even enjoyed a goblet of wine. He obediently and conscientiously brushed his teeth, like any well-behaved adolescent, watched television and was able to use the remote to play his favourite baseball games.
This bespoke the patience of his training. The patience of his trainer, and the patience of the chimpanzee in allowing himself to be trained. Animals, like humans, do want to please those to whom they are beholden for their food and comfort. He also became a celebrity, appearing in advertisements and television shows, bringing a certain kind of celebrity to his owner.
That has now been transformed to a kind of notoriety. Evidently the primate pet had been exposed to deer ticks and was being treated for Lyme disease. The pharmaceutical being used was noted for causing mood swings, panic attacks and paranoia in humans. And that's how it seemed to impact the chimpanzee, too, and to counteract his agitation he was administered a dose of anti-anxiety drug.
But the animal wasn't about to be pacified, and began acting out, making its way outside the house in Connecticut, where he came face to face with a friend of his owner and proceeded to viciously attack the 55-year-old woman who received severe lacerations to her face, neck and hands. The owner attempted to fend him off, by stabbing the chimpanzee with a kitchen knife.
When police arrived, the altercation began to include police officers, whom the chimpanzee then attacked. He opened one patrol car door, and tried to insert himself into the vehicle, when one of the officers finally shot the animal. When police followed the trail of blood, they found it had made its way back into the house.
To its living quarters, where it died. A hapless animal whose natural life was revoked for the pleasure of a woman who owned him, and which proved it could become as berserk as any human in a psychotic rage.
Labels: Animal Stories, Social-Cultural Deviations
posted by Pieface @ 7:09 PM
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