# Scott Adams is at it again

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 21, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531 "2017-06-21T14:21:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 19\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/21 "2017-06-21T21:34:54Z")

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> [@Quimby](#):
>
> There was another thread on one of the boards about Scott Adams. He convinced himself that Trump is a genius Master Persuader (his term) and not a buffoon …

Then Adams is delusional, no doubt. If Trump was a Master Persuader I would expect him to demonstrate that by accomplishing goals that were more risky than Executive Orders and things that the congressional Republican majority was ready to rubber stamp yesterday. But he hasn’t.

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**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/22 "2017-06-21T22:17:09Z")

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> [@Lemur866](#):
>
> So Adams feels very comfortable saying things that aren’t true, because that’s what successful people do.

And that depends very much on a very narrow meaning for the term “successful”…

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**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/23 "2017-06-21T22:31:38Z")

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Adams needs to prop up [one of his book covers](http://images.penguinrandomhouse.com/cover/9781591842309) in front of him as a constant reminder.

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**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/24 "2017-06-21T22:37:07Z")

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What, no one else started to read the linked strip only to get bored, and then wandered off to read Oglaf instead? Your loss, pals.

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/25 "2017-06-22T00:07:58Z")

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> [@Quimby](#):
>
> He convinced himself that Trump is a genius Master Persuader (his term) and not a buffoon and everything else is stemming from that.

That’s the thing. I don’t think this does. This is making Trump out to be some victim that no one will listen to. That’s literally the opposite of his master persuader idea.

Before, he did have something that made sense, without seeming like he was necessarily supporting Trump. He’s just saying that he’s so good at manipulating people that he was going to win. Now he’s even lost that facade.

In other words, all of this stems from “I’m a Trump supporter and I’m going to defend him.” Even if he has to contradict himself to do it.

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**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/26 "2017-06-22T03:50:25Z")

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Good. Gets old hearing the same hallelujah chorus from people who live in a bubble of their own views and think anyone who disagrees with them is evil.

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**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/27 "2017-06-22T06:23:39Z")

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It does really matter what that comic strip is trying to say. It has never been funny, or even clever–like the vast majority of comic strips.

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**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/28 "2017-06-22T13:03:31Z")

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Gosh, I think it used to be consistently hilarious, and fairly recently, too. Adams has drawn many fine strips. Credit where it’s due.

I mean, people are even questioning whether he’s “successful.” I would sell a kidney to be as rich as Scott Adams, so I’d say he’s successful, yeah.

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**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/29 "2017-06-22T14:00:49Z")

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> [@RikWriter](#):
>
> Good. Gets old hearing the same hallelujah chorus from people who live in a bubble of their own views and think anyone who disagrees with them is evil.

The problem is that it’s not especially funny. Or even a little funny, really. Granted, most comics (even ‘funny’ ones) aren’t laugh-out-loud from day to day so maybe that day’s comic wouldn’t have been funny anyway but the heavy-handed message makes it _feel_ as though he sold out funny for sermonizing that day. Maybe the choir thinks it was hilarious – I mean, I’m sure someone liked _An American Carol_, right?

Dilbert used to be very funny back in the day but I haven’t found it worth keeping in my feed or following for years now. Every now and then I’ll read a handful of recent strips because it gets linked somewhere but then move on. Nothing to do with politics, I think the stuff he pokes fun at is largely just played out for me now. Weird to think that it’s essentially a legacy comic, having been around since the 90s (maybe earlier but I think it went into major syndication in the mid-90s).

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**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/30 "2017-06-22T14:15:21Z")

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Dilbert can be very good at times. At one time one of my favorite comics, now I don’t make an effort to find it. I’ve got some of his books, but given his extreme right wing politics I will not be buying any more.

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**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/31 "2017-06-22T14:35:43Z")

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[Maybe he’s like the creator of Marmaduke?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muyvWp9uATE)

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**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/32 "2017-06-22T16:36:23Z")

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> [@BigT](#):
>
> That’s the thing. I don’t think this does. This is making Trump out to be some victim that no one will listen to. That’s literally the opposite of his master persuader idea.
> 
> Before, he did have something that made sense, without seeming like he was necessarily supporting Trump. He’s just saying that he’s so good at manipulating people that he was going to win. Now he’s even lost that facade.
> 
> In other words, all of this stems from “I’m a Trump supporter and I’m going to defend him.” Even if he has to contradict himself to do it.

No it makes perfect sense! See, Trump isn’t a victim and Adams doesn’t think he is, but Adams, as a Master Persuader is merely trying to make you FEEL like he is.

Crying “Waaaaa, nobody will listen to me! They treated me soooooo unfaaaaaaairly!” is a manipulative appeal to the emotions. What makes it sad is that it’s not exactly 3 dimensional chess level manipulation, it’s 3 year old toddler level manipulation. If Trump complaining about the unfairness works on you, then you’re a fucking idiot. And I guess Adams would then gleefully think to himself that there are 62,979,636 fucking idiots in America, and so Trump is actually smart to try to manipulate them this way.

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**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/33 "2017-06-22T16:46:47Z")

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> [@RickJay](#):
>
> I mean, people are even questioning whether he’s “successful.” I would sell a kidney to be as rich as Scott Adams, so I’d say he’s successful, yeah.

If that was directed at me, that was purely a comment on his _definition_ of that word. That he apparently thinks you need to be a lying manipulative weasel to be “successful” simply tells me that his perspective on life is very blinkered. I fully am aware that the strip in question has been a massive cash cow for him-beside the point.

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**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/34 "2017-06-22T16:57:03Z")

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> [@cornflakes](#):
>
> What, no one else started to read the linked strip only to get bored, and then wandered off to read Oglaf instead? Your loss, pals.

Do you get this week’s “Thrifty Cuts” Oglaf? Seems incredibly random to me. (Still funnier than Dilbert, though.)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/35 "2017-06-26T20:19:06Z")

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> [@Jophiel](#):
>
> The problem is that it’s not especially funny. Or even a little funny, really. Granted, most comics (even ‘funny’ ones) aren’t laugh-out-loud from day to day so maybe that day’s comic wouldn’t have been funny anyway but the heavy-handed message makes it _feel_ as though he sold out funny for sermonizing that day. Maybe the choir thinks it was hilarious – I mean, I’m sure someone liked _An American Carol_, right?
> 
> Dilbert used to be very funny back in the day but I haven’t found it worth keeping in my feed or following for years now. Every now and then I’ll read a handful of recent strips because it gets linked somewhere but then move on. Nothing to do with politics, I think the stuff he pokes fun at is largely just played out for me now. Weird to think that it’s essentially a legacy comic, having been around since the 90s (maybe earlier but I think it went into major syndication in the mid-90s).

Dilbert was first syndicated in 1989 by United Media. Wow. I feel old now.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/36 "2017-06-26T20:34:32Z")

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> [@John\_DiFool](#):
>
> And that depends very much on a very narrow meaning for the term “successful”…

It’s probably a fair assumption that Adams is ten times as successful in his chosen career as almost anyone posting on this thread. That’s not a narrow definition so much as the common one.

Has he made such blatant political commentary before in his cartoons? Haven’t read the comics regularly for ages. I thought he confined all this shit to his blog.

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/37 "2017-06-26T21:14:39Z")

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I liked Sunday’s comic about time travel.  
“Does our location algorithm account for planetary movement?”

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/38 "2017-06-26T22:12:40Z")

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> [@Jophiel](#):
>
> Dilbert used to be very funny back in the day but I haven’t found it worth keeping in my feed or following for years now.

Dilbert is a workplace comedy. For the first six years of the strip, Adams was working in an office. But then he quit to become a full-time cartoonist. He’s been working off of memories of what a workplace is like since 1995. It’s no surprise he’s becoming increasingly disconnected with the subject of his strip.

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**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2017, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-adams-is-at-it-again/789531/39 "2017-06-27T19:21:35Z")

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Saturday’s strip was quite funny.

These days, a strip that can be funny once a week is a nice surprise. Some haven’t had a funny strip in a generation.

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