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Dilbert #34
Problem Identified: And You're Probably Not Part of the Solution
Dogbert begins his new career as a consultant, putting Pointy-Haired Boss's methods under the microscope in this 34th Dilbert comic strip collection.
Cartoonist Scott Adams affectionately ridicules inept office colleagues--those coworkers behind the pointless projects, interminable meetings, and ill-conceived "downsizings"--in this thematically linked collection of Dilbert comic strips.
Dilbert, the benchmark of office humor, continues to use its considerable powers for the greater good, helping us to fight the good fight at work despite those around us whose job descriptions seem to include undercutting morale and generally doing everything possible to lead us into economic ruin.
"Once every decade, America is gifted with an angst-ridden anti-hero, a Nietzschean nebbish, an us-against-the-universe everyperson around whom our insecurities collect like iron shavings to a magnet. Charlie Chaplin. Dagwood Bumstead. Charlie Brown. Cathy. Now, Dilbert." --The Miami Herald
Cartoonist Scott Adams affectionately ridicules inept office colleagues--those coworkers behind the pointless projects, interminable meetings, and ill-conceived "downsizings"--in this thematically linked collection of Dilbert comic strips.
Dilbert, the benchmark of office humor, continues to use its considerable powers for the greater good, helping us to fight the good fight at work despite those around us whose job descriptions seem to include undercutting morale and generally doing everything possible to lead us into economic ruin.
"Once every decade, America is gifted with an angst-ridden anti-hero, a Nietzschean nebbish, an us-against-the-universe everyperson around whom our insecurities collect like iron shavings to a magnet. Charlie Chaplin. Dagwood Bumstead. Charlie Brown. Cathy. Now, Dilbert." --The Miami Herald
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 20, 2010
43 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Scott Adams
281 books1,306 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Scott Adams was a defining voice of the American white-collar experience who transitioned from a prominent cartoonist into a polarizing political commentator. After earning an MBA from UC Berkeley and spending years in management at Pacific Bell, Adams launched the comic strip Dilbert in 1989. The strip’s sharp satire of corporate bureaucracy and the "Dilbert Principle"—the idea that incompetent employees are promoted to management to minimize their damage—resonated globally, eventually appearing in 2,000 newspapers and winning the prestigious Reuben Award. Beyond the funny pages, Adams explored philosophy and persuasion in works like God's Debris and Win Bigly, the latter of which analyzed Donald Trump’s rhetorical strategies during the 2016 election. His career took a dramatic turn during the mid-2010s as he shifted focus to his daily "Real Coffee" livestream, where he combined his background in hypnosis and corporate strategy to comment on the "culture wars." This period of independent commentary culminated in 2023 when he reacted to a poll regarding racial tensions with a series of inflammatory remarks. Labeling Black Americans a "hate group" and advocating for racial segregation, Adams faced immediate and widespread repercussions; hundreds of newspapers dropped his strip, and his publisher canceled his upcoming projects. Undeterred, he moved his work to the subscription-based platform Locals, rebranding his comic as Dilbert Reborn. In his final years, he faced severe health challenges, including stage IV prostate cancer and vocal cord issues, yet he remained a prolific presence on social media. He eventually announced the end of his hand-drawn work due to focal dystonia but continued to direct the strip's vision. Adams’s legacy remains a complex study in the power of branding, the evolution of digital influence, and the volatile intersection of creative genius and political provocation in the modern era.
Scott Adams was a defining voice of the American white-collar experience who transitioned from a prominent cartoonist into a polarizing political commentator. After earning an MBA from UC Berkeley and spending years in management at Pacific Bell, Adams launched the comic strip Dilbert in 1989. The strip’s sharp satire of corporate bureaucracy and the "Dilbert Principle"—the idea that incompetent employees are promoted to management to minimize their damage—resonated globally, eventually appearing in 2,000 newspapers and winning the prestigious Reuben Award. Beyond the funny pages, Adams explored philosophy and persuasion in works like God's Debris and Win Bigly, the latter of which analyzed Donald Trump’s rhetorical strategies during the 2016 election. His career took a dramatic turn during the mid-2010s as he shifted focus to his daily "Real Coffee" livestream, where he combined his background in hypnosis and corporate strategy to comment on the "culture wars." This period of independent commentary culminated in 2023 when he reacted to a poll regarding racial tensions with a series of inflammatory remarks. Labeling Black Americans a "hate group" and advocating for racial segregation, Adams faced immediate and widespread repercussions; hundreds of newspapers dropped his strip, and his publisher canceled his upcoming projects. Undeterred, he moved his work to the subscription-based platform Locals, rebranding his comic as Dilbert Reborn. In his final years, he faced severe health challenges, including stage IV prostate cancer and vocal cord issues, yet he remained a prolific presence on social media. He eventually announced the end of his hand-drawn work due to focal dystonia but continued to direct the strip's vision. Adams’s legacy remains a complex study in the power of branding, the evolution of digital influence, and the volatile intersection of creative genius and political provocation in the modern era.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 19, 2021
This one is a bit different from the other two I've read. Whereas the other two were just the daily comics from a few months in an average year, this compilation contains the handpicked best comics over about a 7 year period. "Problem Identified" is my favorite "Dilbert" comic book so far since it deals with PHB or everyone's favorite incompetent boss: Pointy-Haired Boss. Dilbert's boss is so ridiculous; between his never ending obliviousness or constant penchant for a bigger bonus, it's almost impossible to not be entertained by PHB's exploits. The biggest reason why everyone loves this character is the fact that they can see a piece of their own boss mirrored in PHB. Whether it's his bad habit of keeping stuff on his desk for 3 weeks, giving useless advice, or his blatant ignorance of tasks his employees do everyday, readers like myself can't help but see their own boss in Dilbert's office. There is some repetition here with themes like motivation or layoffs. However, most of the run-of-the-mill workplace rumors are repetitious so that is on par with reality. Also, the author keeps things fresh with a nice array of characters such as Dilbert, Wally, Alice, Asok, and Dogbert. Each of them has their shtick that they play well. Scott Adams changes the look of PHB a lot throughout the years, but his hilarious ineptitude is comedy gold forever.
January 21, 2015
Sometimes, after reading too much of Dilbert, it has lost its charms somehow.
The jokes are still relevant, since I am STILL working in a corporate world.
The jokes are still relevant, since I am STILL working in a corporate world.
April 26, 2020
Wish i could get my money back
I suppose it's my fault for buying a volume of his early work. However, I had a right to expect that the cartoons were large enough to view without a magnifying glass. Not so apparently. Never again will i buy one of these without checking out the free sample.
I suppose it's my fault for buying a volume of his early work. However, I had a right to expect that the cartoons were large enough to view without a magnifying glass. Not so apparently. Never again will i buy one of these without checking out the free sample.
April 24, 2023
I am systematically working my way through all the Dilbert collections I can find. This one had some repetition from previously read books, but not a lot. Mostly hilarious and so many that I can relate to from the years I spent in various types of offices with a variety of co-workers and less than likeable bosses.
December 29, 2024
It’s good
These are some of the older Dilbert comics, and there is some humor and in other cases there’s not. It’s good to see the comic evolved from the earlier comics. Though I have to say the portrayal of how employees are treated is very accurate.
These are some of the older Dilbert comics, and there is some humor and in other cases there’s not. It’s good to see the comic evolved from the earlier comics. Though I have to say the portrayal of how employees are treated is very accurate.
February 10, 2019
I always enjoy the Dilbert comics!
May 22, 2024
Dilbert is always good for a laugh.
September 17, 2011
Love Dilbert lots. Have seen all of Scott Adams" characters in my 26 years in the corporate world. This book is especially good at poking fun at the pointy-haired boss, the way upper management tends to lose contact with serving their customers, and the concentration on the latest management fads rather than using common sense.
P.S. I know why Dilbert's tie curls upward at the end even though Scott Adams says in one of the books that he does not know why it does!
P.S. I know why Dilbert's tie curls upward at the end even though Scott Adams says in one of the books that he does not know why it does!
September 4, 2010
Dilbert is the ultimate in comic strip humor and this collection is a true gem! The book focuses on the pointy haired boss and the chaos he creates and controls in Dilbert's world. Anyone who has to deal with "upper management" at their workplace will relate to this book! A great book for laugh out loud humor.
September 23, 2014
I love Dilbert..the only cartoon that stayed with me since I have read it..I can relate to it most of times (being an engineer n manager both) and this book displays the non chalant approach of managers to real problems and dilly dollying them around as long as they can..Read this at home, you will enjoy it..at office, you will love it more.
May 19, 2013
Another cute collection of Dilbert comics. I'm obviously reading too many at once as I can recognize repeats but overall a good collection. Nice also to see the progress from the earlier versions to the more modern ones.
January 23, 2016
We all might have started out like Calvin with a great view of life. But after hitting the workforce we all somewhat become Dilbert. Everyone knows someone like one of the characters in the strips. Highly recommended
September 23, 2010
I was laughing so hard at the introduction. I also often zone out during the phone tree and have to make random guesses about which button to push.
April 20, 2018
good but maybe that's to much Dilbert. by the end I was just wanting it to be over.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews