this post was submitted on 24 Oct 2025
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Apes being monkeys scientifically is the best news I've heard all year. It has been a banable offense in my home for years to correct someone for saying monkey when referring to gorillas, orangutans, etc., despite the fact that I genuinely thought scientists did not classify them as such.
Monge.
I think it's still useful to have informal words that distinguish smaller, typically less intelligent primates from larger and typically smarter ones, but I agree that using it as a gotcha is pointless.
It's like people using the botanical distinction about berries, legumes, etc to argue that some savory plant part isn't a vegetable (e.g. tomatoes as fruits, bananas as berries, etc). What's scientifically correct comes second to clear mutual communication, and no one likes a smart-ass.
Besides, we as mammals are really just all confused fish.
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