In the Burmese Martial Arts, their Animal Systems developed from the fact that many tribes in old Burma were Animalistic in faith, tradition & ritual. Also their arts were influenced by many other cultures including Chinese well known for the 5 Animals & Others. While I can understand the original posters point that he does not believe in the effective use of Animal styles, systems or tactics, that does not take away from the fact that many cultures have incorporated many animal principles into functional fighting arts/systems. If you dislike Animal styles and think them too flowery or not functional, think again, and you are more than welcome to not train them. I do not believe that any animal style is the best for street self defense, but many techniques from animal styles can stack the deck in your favor to get your butt out alive. Pointless, No, the best for street survival, No. Do they have a place among Martial Arts, Abosultely! Remember that many animal styles use animalistic terms & descriptions of techniques to romanticise their ART, (Not just the knock down drag out redneck bar fighting,MMA or UFC stuff which does have its function as well) this is how they embellish what they have faith in. Simply look beyond the form sequence or flowery uniform or elaborate animal system surface, and see that a (TIGER) Claw to the face is a competent tech, as is a (Bull Horn or Boar Tusk) Elbow/Knee Strike. If you can not get beyond the Kung Fu Theatre stuff, then leave it be, it is not for you. If you enjoy the Animal Styles train them well. I do not believe that the function of an animal style is in the Animal Salute or Flowery form alone itself, but also in the character of the practitioner themselves. Some may know a zoo of animal styles or techniques & can not apply them, some can. Even more can fight with the fierceness of any animal without any training. To the original poster, Animal Styles may be pointless to you, but because you fail to understand. like or agree does not remove the effectiveness of an animal style technique. A Claw, Finger Jab or Elbow/Knee Strikes are no less effective because someone uses an animal name or priciple to describe it. And no, I do not drop into a low stance waving around a Tiger Claw set before defending myself, although I have trained in several Bando Animal Systems. As an extra side note, years ago I was training the Bando Eagle Form, an old friend had trained a lot of Muay Thai & Bama Lethwei with our common instructor. He asked to see the form, I was only a few movements in when he stated, that does not look like Bando, it looks like Kung Fu, then I reached the finishing moves of the first sequence that demonstrated an elbow & knee strike. Then he said loudly, there it is!!!! Now that looks like Bando!!!!