Can a trained monkey do your job?

https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/4246921001

I screwed up some hoses on a project at work and lost some sleep but on the bright side I'm not the guy that made this decision.

"I've got an idea that will cut our labor costs"......

No, but I've worked with a few people that a trained monkey would have been an improvement

Yes. Its lead to a lot of self esteem issues. 

If a monkey could read, yes.

bobzilla said:

No, but I've worked with a few people that a trained monkey would have been an improvement

My favorite example:

One day in the late 1990s I gave our office administrator a 10-page single-sided document and asked for 3 double-sided copies.  They not only failed to successfully make the copies but somehow screwed up my original as well.

Apparently they can do Shakespeare's job.

From "The Lore of Large Numbers" by Phillip J Davis

What a piece of useless fluff.

How is this any different than a horse pulling a carriage, an ox pulling a plow, or a dog being used by the police? 

Apparently monkeys have been picking coconuts for close to 400 years. Now you are supposed to be outraged by it? Whatever. 

Toyman01 (Moderately Supportive Dude) said:

What a piece of useless fluff.

How is this any different than a horse pulling a carriage, an ox pulling a plow, or a dog being used by the police? 

Apparently monkeys have been picking coconuts for close to 400 years. Now you are supposed to be outraged by it? Whatever. 

I'm going to withhold judgement until I hear the monkey's side of the story.  Who knows?  They might think it's great fun.

Toyman01 (Moderately Supportive Dude) said:

What a piece of useless fluff.

How is this any different than a horse pulling a carriage, an ox pulling a plow, or a dog being used by the police? 

Apparently monkeys have been picking coconuts for close to 400 years. Now you are supposed to be outraged by it? Whatever. 

This. If I drank this crap I'd be looking for this brand in particular because that's brilliant. But I'm not exactly the target audience for coconut milk so....ymmv

bobzilla said:

 But I'm not exactly the target audience for coconut milk so....ymmv

But surely you like pina coladas?  And getting caught in the rain?

Apparently USA Today, Target and Costco are employing monkeys as well.

If a monkey can do  your job its time to re-think your life up to this point.  Just sayin...   

Hey, they need money to buy cigarettes!

My job could not be done by a monkey, but more relevant is that it cannot be done by computer.  I suppose some of it could be done very poorly by some automation, but even then, I add value, which I think (along with the computer thing) is something people should very much keep in mind when choosing jobs/careers.

Well, my job uses Calculus, Algebra, and Trig.  Let me know when chimps can do integrals and differential equations.  Then I might worry.

In reply to 1988RedT2 :

not really. 

No, a monkey - trained or not - could not do my job. And it cannot be automated, even though we're all trying our damndest to automate it as much as possible. 

That being said, it is arguable whether or not my job is necessary. It would be easy to wipe out my team. I think we add enough value to the company that we're saving more money and/or ensuring that the company generates more revenue than we're costing, but its not easily recognizable. 

If a trained monkey could do my job I would train a bunch of them and open my own shop. They couldn't be any harder to take care of than a bunch of rescue dogs. 

Snowdoggie (Forum Supporter) said:

If a trained monkey could do my job I would train a bunch of them and open my own shop. 

We already have Home Depot.

Can you do the monkeys job? I pick coconuts, but not nearly as efficiently as this guy.

In reply to NOT A TA :

But he's so abused!!! Chained up all the time. Think about the children. 

Oh yeah, don't forget to keep your dog on a leash. 

I thought about those using oxen or horses still for work.  

My wife has old silent 8mm black and white movies of her grandfather working a small farm in rural 'bama with a donkey pulling his plow. 

He would laugh and ask if we're kidding.  

What if I'm the trained monkey?

I see no need for this "Training" you speak of.

That would just stifle the creativity.

Toyman01 (Moderately Supportive Dude) said:

In reply to NOT A TA :

Think about the children. 

 

Who do you think is going to be fetching coconuts if he can't use monkeys?

I have no delusions of grandeur.  A monkey could absolutely do my job.