Dilbert Watch: Okay, "it's called leadership," but is a manned mission to Mars launched by Dilbert's Pointy-Haired Boss a good idea?

"Two ways to win and no way to lose"? Really?

DILBERT     by Scott Adams
"Volunteers for Mars Trip" (Monday, Dec. 26)

[Click on any strip to enlarge.]

by Ken

I don't think any additional comment is required for this lovely Dilbert sequence, which I first assumed was completed Friday (but see below). The one thing I would perhaps like to note is that the last time I shared a Dilbert strip, I was actually happy that a commenter registered surprise at seeing Dilbert on DWT, given creator Scott Adams's political views. I was happy because it's a discussion-worthy issue.

My test is that I almost always find Dilbert both seriously insightful and seriously entertaining. Which of course is why I so often feel the urge to share a strip or a sequence of them. And I don't see any conflict between that and Scott's politics. I'm sure there are people whose politics would place them beyond the pale for me, but I'm kind of relieved to find that merely disagreeing with someone's politics doesn't make it impossible for me to take in and appreciate what they have to offer.

The "seriously insightful and seriously entertaining" standard, I think you'll agree, is tougher than it may appear at first glance. Take the writing of Ayn Rand, which misses the cut by a country mile on both counts, being not only devoid of insight but, although comedically tinged in a primitively moronic way, isn't anywhere near funny enough to be entertaining.

All of that said, let's proceed with the great mission to Mars.

"Naming the Spaceship" (Tuesday, Dec. 27)


"Picking the Spaceship Staff" (Wednesday, Dec. 28)


"Oxygen Not in the Budget" (Thursday, Dec. 29)


"Boss Doesn't See Email" (Friday, Dec. 30)



NOW HOLD ON A SECOND HERE . . .

My original assumption was that yesterday's strip was a breakoff from the Mars-mission story arc. Then, looking back, I was reminded that the ill-fated Ted was the person who designed the spaceship for the Mars journey. Perhaps I didn't make the connection because Ted has, of course, both died and been fired more times than anyone can count (and in all cases so far has thereafter reappeared as if nothing had happened). So maybe this cheery little, er, postmortem, really does belong with the Mars-mission sequence.

In any case, yesterday's strip in addition strip brought in Wally, and as I've noted (admitted?) so often here, Wally is my guy.

"Spreading Ted's Ashes" (Saturday, Dec. 31)




WHILE WE'RE AT IT, WHY DON'T WE TAKE A LOOK
AT TODAY'S STRIP? ANY POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES?

SUNDAY DILBERT     by Scott Adams
(Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017)

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