Dogbert
Encyclopedia
Dogbert is Dilbert
's anthropomorphic pet talking dog from the Dilbert
comic strip. According to creator Scott Adams
, the character is being based on, if not a member of, the beagle
breed
.
c; one of his dreams is to conquer the world
and enslave all humans, and he has actually achieved this status several times through methods such as hypnosis
and masquerading
as a space alien or a prophet. However, he often quickly relinquishes his post due to boredom, someone foiling his chance, his conviction that people do not deserve to have him as leader, or his desire to go nap on a soft pillow. In both the strip and TV show he ended up the ruler of Elbonia, although he quickly relinquished the title. He has also run for President of the United States
on at least two occasions as a third-party candidate, apparently losing. Dogbert appears to have conservative
politics, as implied during his brief tenure as a radio host. During his 2008 Presidential run, Dogbert seemed to espouse Republican
political views, including a hardline on terrorism
and skepticism towards global warming
.
Despite this dislike for humans, the character of Dogbert is known to protect and help Dilbert when he falls victim to sinister motives. Indeed Dogbert has no problem playing jokes on Dilbert or even being mean to Dilbert, but will not tolerate anyone else being mean to Dilbert but him. Dogbert often rescues Dilbert from others. Dogbert often gives Dilbert advice on how to solve his problems and is generally shown to have at least some level of respect for him. Adams writes in Seven Years of Highly Defective People
that "There's no explanation of why Dogbert chooses to live with Dilbert, except that he finds him amusing. Once in a great while we'll see some glimpses of affection. And if Dilbert gets in deep trouble we can count on Dogbert to bail him out."
Dogbert has made many ventures into the business world, often as a consultant
who hypes new trends to the Pointy-Haired Boss
, which he enjoys because of the opportunities for conning
and insulting people. In these positions, he typically takes advantage of stupidity
and gullibility. For instance, when hired as a consultant to create a new company logo
, Dogbert proposed using a piece of paper with a circular stain from his coffee cup as the Brown Ring of Quality. He has also been a tech support employee, a supermodel, a substitute teacher
, a lawyer
, a cult
leader, a billionaire
, a talk radio
host, a United States Supreme Court nominee, the leader of the FBI, and many other occupations. He wags his tail
when someone falls for one of his schemes.
Between February 26 and December 2, 2009, Dogbert was the CEO of Dilbert's company.
created several strips about Dogbert's origins, including his rivalry with another dog named Bingo. The strips were never syndicated because Adams felt that this would make Dilbert too much of a "cartoonist cartoon." Before the strip was syndicated, Dogbert's name was "Dildog". Adams sent in a sketch of Dilbert and Dildog, but realized he had to make "Dildog" more newspaper friendly (any printing error that dropped the G would wreak havoc) so he changed it to Dogbert. In Seven Years of Highly Defective People, Adams says that Dogbert was a combination of Lucy, a beagle
owned by his family when he was a child, and the dark side of his own personality, which he describes as the part that "wants to take over the world
and make all the people [his] personal servants".
Dogbert has several similarities to Dilbert (eyeglasses that don't reveal pupils, lack of visible mouth). However, Dogbert's lack of visible mouth is revealed to not just be a lack of detail on the artist's part, but something that is also noticeable to people of the comic strip (Dogbert himself has said that he has no "visible mouth"). Unlike Dilbert, though, Dogbert is continued to be drawn without a mouth in the comic, even when screaming.
Dilbert (character)
Dilbert is a fictional character and the main character and protagonist of the Dilbert comic strip. He is a white collar office worker who has a rare medical condition characterized by an extreme intuition about all things mechanical and electrical , an idea that was explored in the animated...
's anthropomorphic pet talking dog from the Dilbert
Dilbert
Dilbert is an American comic strip written and drawn by Scott Adams. First published on April 16, 1989, Dilbert is known for its satirical office humor about a white-collar, micromanaged office featuring the engineer Dilbert as the title character...
comic strip. According to creator Scott Adams
Scott Adams
Scott Raymond Adams is the American creator of the Dilbert comic strip and the author of several nonfiction works of satire, commentary, business, and general speculation....
, the character is being based on, if not a member of, the beagle
Beagle
The Beagle is a breed of small to medium-sized dog. A member of the Hound Group, it is similar in appearance to the Foxhound, but smaller, with shorter legs and longer, softer ears. Beagles are scent hounds, developed primarily for tracking hare, rabbit, and other game...
breed
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
.
Characterization
The character of Dogbert is a megalomaniaMegalomania
Megalomania is a psycho-pathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of power, relevance, or omnipotence. 'Megalomania is characterized by an inflated sense of self-esteem and overestimation by persons of their powers and beliefs'...
c; one of his dreams is to conquer the world
Hegemony
Hegemony is an indirect form of imperial dominance in which the hegemon rules sub-ordinate states by the implied means of power rather than direct military force. In Ancient Greece , hegemony denoted the politico–military dominance of a city-state over other city-states...
and enslave all humans, and he has actually achieved this status several times through methods such as hypnosis
Hypnosis
Hypnosis is "a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination."It is a mental state or imaginative role-enactment . It is usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a long series of preliminary...
and masquerading
Role-playing
Role-playing refers to the changing of one's behaviour to assume a role, either unconsciously to fill a social role, or consciously to act out an adopted role...
as a space alien or a prophet. However, he often quickly relinquishes his post due to boredom, someone foiling his chance, his conviction that people do not deserve to have him as leader, or his desire to go nap on a soft pillow. In both the strip and TV show he ended up the ruler of Elbonia, although he quickly relinquished the title. He has also run for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
on at least two occasions as a third-party candidate, apparently losing. Dogbert appears to have conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
politics, as implied during his brief tenure as a radio host. During his 2008 Presidential run, Dogbert seemed to espouse Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
political views, including a hardline on terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
and skepticism towards global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
.
Despite this dislike for humans, the character of Dogbert is known to protect and help Dilbert when he falls victim to sinister motives. Indeed Dogbert has no problem playing jokes on Dilbert or even being mean to Dilbert, but will not tolerate anyone else being mean to Dilbert but him. Dogbert often rescues Dilbert from others. Dogbert often gives Dilbert advice on how to solve his problems and is generally shown to have at least some level of respect for him. Adams writes in Seven Years of Highly Defective People
Seven Years of Highly Defective People
In the book Seven Years of Highly Defective People, Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams explains the origins and evolution of many of the Dilbert characters, and he includes comments under each comic strip reprinted in the book. In his introduction, Adams says, "Some of the notes are fascinating...
that "There's no explanation of why Dogbert chooses to live with Dilbert, except that he finds him amusing. Once in a great while we'll see some glimpses of affection. And if Dilbert gets in deep trouble we can count on Dogbert to bail him out."
Dogbert has made many ventures into the business world, often as a consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
who hypes new trends to the Pointy-Haired Boss
Pointy-Haired Boss
The pointy-haired boss is Dilbert's boss in the Dilbert comic strip. He is notable for his micromanagement, gross incompetence and unawareness of his surroundings, yet somehow retains power in the workplace...
, which he enjoys because of the opportunities for conning
Confidence trick
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
and insulting people. In these positions, he typically takes advantage of stupidity
Stupidity
Stupidity is a lack of intelligence, understanding, reason, wit, or sense. It may be innate, assumed, or reactive - 'being "stupid with grief" as a defence against trauma', a state marked with 'grief and despair...making even simple daily tasks a hardship'....
and gullibility. For instance, when hired as a consultant to create a new company logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
, Dogbert proposed using a piece of paper with a circular stain from his coffee cup as the Brown Ring of Quality. He has also been a tech support employee, a supermodel, a substitute teacher
Substitute teacher
A substitute teacher is a person who teaches a school class when the regular teacher is unavailable; e.g., because of illness, personal leave, or other reasons. "Substitute teacher" is the most commonly used phrase in the United States, Canada and Ireland, while supply teacher is the most commonly...
, a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, a cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
leader, a billionaire
Billionaire
A billionaire, in countries that use the short scale number naming system, is a person who has a net worth of at least one billion units of a given currency, usually the United States dollar, Euro, or Pound sterling. Forbes magazine updates a complete list of U.S. dollar billionaires around the...
, a talk radio
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
host, a United States Supreme Court nominee, the leader of the FBI, and many other occupations. He wags his tail
Tail
The tail is the section at the rear end of an animal's body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, reptiles, and birds...
when someone falls for one of his schemes.
Between February 26 and December 2, 2009, Dogbert was the CEO of Dilbert's company.
Alter egos
- Saint Dogbert, the patron saint of technologyTechnologyTechnology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
— Dogbert's religiousReligionReligion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
form. Dogbert created this form as a method to eliminate the "demons of stupidity". Saint Dogbert wears a mitreMitreThe mitre , also spelled miter, is a type of headwear now known as the traditional, ceremonial head-dress of bishops and certain abbots in the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in the Anglican Communion, some Lutheran churches, and also bishops and certain other clergy in the Eastern Orthodox...
and carries a scepter in his left paw. His right paw heals broken technology, and the scepter exorcises the "demons of stupidity."
- Nostridogbert or Nostrildogmas — a parody of NostradamusNostradamusMichel de Nostredame , usually Latinised to Nostradamus, was a French apothecary and reputed seer who published collections of prophecies that have since become famous worldwide. He is best known for his book Les Propheties , the first edition of which appeared in 1555...
. Here, he is a psychicPsychicA psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
, albeit an evilEvilEvil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
one. In the late 1990s, Nostradogbert briefly became a doomsdayDoomsday eventA doomsday event is a specific, plausibly verifiable or hypothetical occurrence which has an exceptionally destructive effect on the human race...
prophet so he could "scare gullible people." His logic for saying the world would end in the year 2000 was that "It's biiiiiiiig and rouuuuunnnd." His nemesis is John StosselJohn StosselJohn F. Stossel is an American consumer reporter, investigative journalist, author and libertarian columnist. In October 2009 Stossel left his long time home on ABC News to join the Fox Business Channel and Fox News Channel, both owned and operated by News Corp...
.
- Deputy of Common Sense — goes around arresting up people who lack common senseCommon senseCommon sense is defined by Merriam-Webster as, "sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts." Thus, "common sense" equates to the knowledge and experience which most people already have, or which the person using the term believes that they do or should have...
, such as a middle managementMiddle managementMiddle management is a layer of management in an organization whose primary job responsibility is to monitor activities of subordinates while reporting to upper management....
figure who scheduled a four-hour meeting to find out why the company was behind schedule and a safetySafetySafety is the state of being "safe" , the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be...
inspector who deliberately causes accidents.
Development
Creator Scott AdamsScott Adams
Scott Raymond Adams is the American creator of the Dilbert comic strip and the author of several nonfiction works of satire, commentary, business, and general speculation....
created several strips about Dogbert's origins, including his rivalry with another dog named Bingo. The strips were never syndicated because Adams felt that this would make Dilbert too much of a "cartoonist cartoon." Before the strip was syndicated, Dogbert's name was "Dildog". Adams sent in a sketch of Dilbert and Dildog, but realized he had to make "Dildog" more newspaper friendly (any printing error that dropped the G would wreak havoc) so he changed it to Dogbert. In Seven Years of Highly Defective People, Adams says that Dogbert was a combination of Lucy, a beagle
Beagle
The Beagle is a breed of small to medium-sized dog. A member of the Hound Group, it is similar in appearance to the Foxhound, but smaller, with shorter legs and longer, softer ears. Beagles are scent hounds, developed primarily for tracking hare, rabbit, and other game...
owned by his family when he was a child, and the dark side of his own personality, which he describes as the part that "wants to take over the world
Hegemony
Hegemony is an indirect form of imperial dominance in which the hegemon rules sub-ordinate states by the implied means of power rather than direct military force. In Ancient Greece , hegemony denoted the politico–military dominance of a city-state over other city-states...
and make all the people [his] personal servants".
Dogbert has several similarities to Dilbert (eyeglasses that don't reveal pupils, lack of visible mouth). However, Dogbert's lack of visible mouth is revealed to not just be a lack of detail on the artist's part, but something that is also noticeable to people of the comic strip (Dogbert himself has said that he has no "visible mouth"). Unlike Dilbert, though, Dogbert is continued to be drawn without a mouth in the comic, even when screaming.