-
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
-
What are you doing?
-
I'm posting false information on the Web.
-
Why?
-
It's fun.
-
Someone picks up a strand of false information,
-
spreads it around,
-
and before you know it, a panic is created.
-
Then you just sit back and watch the chaos.
-
And figure out a way to exploit it, no doubt.
-
You say that as if it's a bad thing.
-
I don't think that is what the World Wide Web
-
was created for.
-
Ah, that's where you're wrong.
-
Do you have any idea how difficult it was
-
to spread rumors before?
-
Mailings, cold calling.
-
Sometimes, I had to go door-to-door.
-
It was a real pain.
-
Thanks to the new technology, my productivity has increased.
-
Just in the last couple of years,
-
I've been able to create fear
-
about cell phones, power lines, and organ theft rings.
-
You must be very proud.
-
It's fulfilling.
-
Well, the last thing I want to do right now
-
is sit in front of a computer screen.
-
My neck is all stiff,
-
and I'm blurry-eyed from sitting all day
-
in my cubicle staring at one.
-
Hmm, you don't say.
-
What are you doing now?
-
Do you ever feel anxious, tired or depressed
-
in your cubicle?
-
I've never felt any other way.
-
Cha-ching.
-
Symptoms include blurred vision, muscle joint pain,
-
anxiety, fatigue, depression.
-
The conclusion is inescapable.
-
Symptoms of what?
-
What conclusion?
-
An epidemic of chronic cubicle syndrome.
-
Did you say "chronic cubicle syndrome"?
-
Hearing loss...
-
You just made that up.
-
Correction: I have discovered
-
a heretofore undiagnosed condition.
-
There is no such thing as chronic cubicle syndrome.
-
Initially, victims exhibit denial.
-
But you have no proof.
-
Oh, I have something much better than proof.
-
Anecdotal evidence.
-
Who do you think would be dumb enough
-
to believe anecdotal evidence?
-
Oh, I've narrowed my target market to...
-
people.
-
I have news for you.
-
We people are smarter than we look.
-
How hard would that be, really?
-
Personally, I require scientific evidence
-
before I believe anything.
-
No, you don't.
-
Yes, I do.
-
No, you only think you do.
-
But in fact, you rely on media reports
-
that scientific evidence exists.
-
You don't actually see the evidence yourself.
-
I don't have time to read
-
all the scientific studies myself.
-
Oh, so you're not gullible,
-
you're just busy.
-
That's right.
-
So when I tell people
-
they have chronic cubicle syndrome,
-
they won't be gullible,
-
they'll be busy, just like you.
-
You're being ridiculous.
-
Other symptoms include poor perception...
-
I do not have poor perception.
-
Irritability...
-
Stop that! Stop it right now!
-
Bouts of irrational shouting...
-
Are you trying to make me crazy?
-
Paranoia.
-
Now what?
-
Now my ghostwriter will put the finishing touches
-
on the book.
-
You've been writing a book while we've been talking?
-
I know how that sounds, and you'd be right.
-
Ratbert.
-
How may I be of service to you higher life-forms?
-
You can't publish a book
-
about an unproven medical condition.
-
Apparently, you haven't been to the book store lately.
-
Proofread, publish, distribute.
-
Roger.
-
We're very fortunate to live in the time of Dogbert.
-
This isn't happening.
-
Add delusions to the symptoms list.
-
You got it.
-
[EXPLOSION]
-
[ELECTRICITY CRACKLING]
-
[music]
-
We're talking with best-selling author
-
of Chronic Cubicle Syndrome:
-
If You Think You've Got It, You've Got It.
-
Dogbert. Dogbert, welcome.
-
Could you repeat the name of the book?
-
Uh, sure.
-
Chronic Cubicle Syndrome:
-
If You Think You've Got It, You've Got It.
-
How about you, honey?
-
This is an equal opportunity condition.
-
Okay...
-
Chronic Cubicle Syndrome:
-
If You Think You've Got It, You've Got It.
-
Now, Mr. Dogbert, tell us,
-
what exactly is chronic cubicle syndrome?
-
Oh, I can't divulge that information.
-
You'll have to buy the book.
-
What's it called again?
-
Nice try.
-
I can tell you
-
that millions of people suffer from chronic cubicle syndrome.
-
It's a worldwide epidemic.
-
How would one know if one had
-
chronic cubicle syndrome?
-
[SIGHS]
-
If you think you've got it, you've got it.
-
Is there any scientific evidence to support your claim?
-
The best kind.
-
It's called anecdotal.
-
AUDIENCE: Ooh!
-
This is preposterous.
-
I'm a scientist,
-
and I tell you all that anecdotal evidence is worthless.
-
Talk to the hand.
-
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
-
You certainly made him look like a boob.
-
We get all kinds.
-
I think we all know from past experience
-
that the scientific and medical community
-
will try to suppress this information,
-
hiding behind red tape and double-blind studies
-
until it's too late.
-
How many people have to die, sir?
-
Yeah, how many?
-
It says in your bio that you're a doctor,
-
but our producer checked with the medical boards
-
and we find no record of you.
-
How do you explain that?
-
Talk to the hand.
-
[LAUGHING]
-
There you have it.
-
Our next market opportunity:
-
Chronic cubicle syndrome.
-
I hate to break it to you,
-
but there's no such thing as chronic cubicle syndrome.
-
I've heard of it!
-
You've heard of it because it was just on TV.
-
So?
-
I think I have chronic cubicle syndrome.
-
Does it make your butt wider?
-
I'm losing muscle tone.
-
I wondered what was causing that.
-
Sometimes, I feel like I am surrounded by nincompoops.
-
I believe that is a symptom of CCS.
-
Wally, what's it say?
-
If this is a ventriloquism act, it's better with a dummy.
-
I mean the tape measure.
-
Calm down.
-
There is no such thing as chronic cubicle syndrome.
-
Dilbert, I value your input.
-
Now, who wants to develop a product
-
to combat chronic cubicle syndrome?
-
First of all, we're not a pharmaceutical company.
-
Second, we're engineers, not biochemists.
-
Dilbert, I value your input.
-
Now, who wants to help Dilbert develop a product
-
to combat chronic cubicle syndrome?
-
Hands?
-
You know, the facts are completely against us here.
-
All right, hang on here.
-
You know, in our mad rush to cash in
-
on this horrible condition before the competition
-
and before
-
the class-action suits get filed,
-
are we perhaps getting ahead of ourselves?
-
What is our "moral" responsibility?
-
Yes! That is exactly what I'm saying.
-
Perhaps we need further research.
-
Yes!
-
Perhaps further study.
-
Yes!
-
Well, who's got time for that, you prig?
-
No. We need to create some favorable facts first.
-
Now...
-
Favorable facts?
-
Yes, favorable facts.
-
The other kind are worthless.
-
Now, let's see, let's see...
-
We could flip a coin.
-
Too risky.
-
We could test humans! That's always fun!
-
What about monkeys?
-
Or rabbits? Or puppies?
-
We've had some success
-
hurting them in the past, haven't we?
-
Dilbert could do some tests on mice.
-
Mice are full of favorable facts.
-
Very good. Mice it is.
-
This is ridiculous
-
But at least that's vaguely scientific.
-
I'll need a budget to get some mice.
-
Say what?
-
We're not paying for mice.
-
Good God, man, the streets are full of them.
-
It looks so real.
-
Wally, did you bring the cheese?
-
Yes, it's delicious.
-
And now the mouse.
-
Technically, I'm a rat, not a mouse.
-
I know, but you're all we could afford on our budget.
-
That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.
-
No signs of chronic cubicle syndrome yet.
-
He looks listless and bored.
-
That doesn't mean anything.
-
My co-workers are idiots!
-
Idiots, I say!
-
Only I and I alone know all the answers.
-
You can't tell me that's not chronic cubicle syndrome.
-
We haven't established causation yet.
-
I'm wasting my life in here!
-
There's no career path.
-
I want stock options.
-
I think my boss hates me
-
because of the way he looks at me in the meetings.
-
Why do the objectives keep changing?
-
I am so customer-focused.
-
You are not customer-focused.
-
Let's just say further study is needed.
-
We're in!
-
Start pouring the champagne.
-
music Happy days are here again music
-
Wait, wait, with just one rat,
-
we don't think any conclusions can be drawn.
-
Oh, we'll draw conclusions, all right.
-
You can be sure of that.
-
Take this to the boys
-
in the statistical distortion department.
-
They'll fix the data for you.
-
Tell them Ike sent you.
-
Your name's not Ike.
-
I didn't say it was.
-
I need you
-
to distort some statistics from rat tests,
-
although I don't agree with doing it.
-
I've just lost my will to fight it anymore.
-
I don't need the life story.
-
Let's see... one rat, one test.
-
I can make these numbers prove that...
-
immortality is possible...
-
or that drinking hard liquor improves your love life.
-
Any of those ring your bell?
-
No. My boss wants this test to prove the existence
-
of something called chronic cubicle syndrome.
-
Chronic cubicle syndrome?
-
Everyone knows it exists. Haven't you read the book?
-
Have you?
-
You don't have to actually read it if you buy it.
-
It's an implied covenant.
-
The book offers absolutely no proof.
-
Well, that's not my only source.
-
I'm a serious-minded person.
-
I also heard about it on TV.
-
That's only because of the book.
-
All right, let's see... we've got the TV,
-
the anecdotal evidence, the book, and now your study.
-
Congratulations. Nice work.
-
DILBERT: Well, I hope you're happy.
-
Chronic cubicle syndrome is now an official condition.
-
It's sweeping the nation.
-
Chronic cubicle syndrome is real.
-
It's all in the book.
-
Buy a copy for a friend.
-
The end.
-
What are you doing?
-
Just recording the audio version of my book.
-
That was it?
-
It's abridged.
-
Abridged? It's three sentences.
-
All right, very abridged.
-
I've been very busy penning the follow-up:
-
The Dogbert Chronic Cubicle Syndrome Cure Diet.
-
And what might that be?
-
I'll give you a hint.
-
It involves food.
-
What's going on here?
-
I'm shooting my infomercial.
-
Infomercial? For what?
-
Dogbert's secret juice formula.
-
Many experts believe that the symptoms
-
of chronic cubicle syndrome
-
can be significantly reduced
-
by drinking 14 to 28 glasses
-
of my special secret juice formula each day.
-
[SNIFFING]
-
That smells like alcohol.
-
Well, I'm not at liberty to reveal the ingredients.
-
It's an info no-no.
-
But of course, if people get drunk,
-
they're not going to feel the effects
-
of chronic cubicle syndrome,
-
whatever it is.
-
That's not bad.
-
Would you mind doing a testimonial?
-
Yes, I would mind.
-
Did you get that?
-
And since I started drinking Dogbert's secret juice formula,
-
to combat the effects of chronic cubicle syndrome,
-
I'm a changed man.
-
Hey, what the--? How did he do that?
-
It's all computer-generated.
-
You're very telegenic.
-
And, by the way, it works.
-
Get Dogbert's secret juice formula today.
-
Since when do YOU exercise?
-
It's not exercise.
-
It's dorkercise.
-
I've never felt more alive.
-
I've never heard of dorkercise.
-
It's all in the Dogbert Chronic Cubicle Syndrome
-
30 Days To A Smaller-Butted You WORKOUT VIDEO.
-
Apparently, if you eat less
-
and exercise two hours a day,
-
you can lose the weight
-
caused by chronic cubicle syndrome.
-
If you exercise two hours a day and eat less,
-
you'll lose weight without the video.
-
No. This gets the cellulite too.
-
It's completely different.
-
Read the book.
-
And sometimes, when I stay up late,
-
I'm tired the next day.
-
That could be serious.
-
What else?
-
When I don't eat,
-
I feel an emptiness in my stomach.
-
That's because your spine is out of alignment.
-
It's chronic cubicle syndrome.
-
I was afraid of that.
-
You'll need one treatment a week
-
until my boat is paid for.
-
I hope it is not a big boat.
-
Lie on your stomach.
-
Now I'm going to straighten your spine until you cry.
-
May I request anesthetics?
-
I don't believe in those.
-
Besides, you'll pass out from the pain
-
in a few minutes anyway.
-
Ow... Ow... Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!
-
[BONES CRACKING, SCREAMING]
-
[CRYING]
-
Dilbert!
-
Dilbert!
-
Oh, there you are.
-
Now you look for me.
-
No. Never mind that.
-
Why were you playing games
-
when you were supposed
-
to be coming up with a boffo product
-
to combat chronic cubicle syndrome?
-
I'll tell you why.
-
Chronic cubicle syndrome doesn't exist.
-
That's the holdup.
-
How am I supposed to engineer a product
-
for an imaginary condition?
-
Poor Dilbert.
-
You know, Dilbert, I've been around a long time,
-
too long to count.
-
One, two... aw, whatever.
-
See? I told you.
-
I've seen many people-- good people--
-
felled by this dreaded disease.
-
It's up to you, my boy.
-
Gosh, I don't know.
-
I'm all confused.
-
That's the spirit.
-
Don't do it for me.
-
Do it for yourself.
-
And, if you don't do it for yourself,
-
at least do it,
-
because you'll be fired if you don't.
-
I call them Shockpants.
-
They deliver a severe electric shock to the wearer
-
any time his posture gets bad.
-
And that will cure chronic cubicle syndrome?
-
Well, if chronic cubicle syndrome existed,
-
it would probably have something to do
-
with your posture.
-
We need to test this on someone.
-
What did I miss?
-
Can I help with anything?
-
And this will help me with my posture?
-
[SCREAMS]
-
That straightened him out.
-
Let's take this puppy to Marketing
-
and get it in stores.
-
We couldn't wait for Asok to GET bad posture,
-
so I asked Dilbert to make this remote control
-
to speed up the demonstration.
-
[SCREAMS]
-
I love it!
-
It's a device for shocking interns.
-
We can sell a billion of these.
-
Actually, it's a cure for chronic cubicle syndrome,
-
which doesn't exist,
-
but we've managed to get past that.
-
We don't want to sell cures for diseases.
-
That's too much of a downer.
-
We'll be painted with the same brush
-
as that Jonas Salk guy.
-
Okay by me.
-
Let's forget the whole thing.
-
You're not thinking like marketing people.
-
Let's use our imaginations.
-
Our what?
-
You mean, let's use our IMAGINATIONS.
-
Isn't that what I just said?
-
Hmm. I guess it is.
-
You know, those yellow sticky notes
-
were invented by accident.
-
So was the space shuttle.
-
Exactly!
-
How can we turn this huge mistake
-
by an engineer
-
into a victory by marketing?
-
I've got it!
-
We'll market them as a line of casual wear for business.
-
It worked with Dockers. It can work for "Shockers."
-
I'd like to go on record...
-
Uh... ooh... um...
-
Don't make your mistake any worse.
-
We're just lucky
-
these marketing people were here
-
to pull our fat out of the fire.
-
May I see that for a moment?
-
[music]
-
[BUZZING, SCREAMING]
-
TV ANNOUNCER: In the news,
-
even as claims of chronic cubicle syndrome
-
continue to rise,
-
as every drone with the sniffles
-
is convinced he has it,
-
the sales of Shockpants are soaring,
-
thanks to new corporate dress codes
-
that make them mandatory.
-
You might say workers are dressed for "shockcess."
-
[SCREAMS]
-
I get it, I get it. No more making up words.
-
The success of Shockpants comes despite widespread reports
-
of seared flesh and spontaneous human combustion.
-
If you ask me, it's all rather "shocking."
-
[SCREAMS]
-
And now for an editorial from our station general manager.
-
Besieged by pseudoscience once again,
-
we now find ourselves
-
in the grips of yet another bogus claim
-
designed to strike fear in hardworking people
-
even as it fleeces their meager savings accounts.
-
Chronic cubicle--
-
[SCREAMS]
-
This is crazy.
-
People are tired,
-
weary, bored, and depressed
-
after a hard day's work
-
day in, day out, year after year,
-
in endless dead-end job after endless dead-end job
-
with no future and no hope.
-
That's natural.
-
It's completely appropriate to feel that way.
-
How else should you feel?
-
If you felt GOOD after that soul-crunching experience,
-
that WOULD BE SICK.
-
Chronic cubicle syndrome is just life!
-
You should have thought of that
-
before your rip-off cure started killing so many people.
-
It was marketing's idea
-
to turn up the voltage
-
on the new models.
-
I argued against it.
-
So it's NOT your fault.
-
No one could think it was.
-
BOSS: It's Dilbert's fault!
-
I tried to stop him.
-
I thank the man upstairs that we live in a country
-
where the corporations
-
can reap the profits from a death machine
-
and, through the use of loopholes and disclaimers,
-
not be liable when the lawsuits start flooding in.
-
Well, then who IS liable?
-
Well, YOU are.
-
Me?
-
You invented the blasted thing.
-
Then why haven't I earned any royalties?
-
Because you don't own the patent.
-
Well, then, how can I be liable?
-
Well, you see, Dilbert, technically,
-
in this instance, you're an independent contractor.
-
I am?
-
Read the fine print.
-
"In the event that profits are realized by said invention,
-
"the independent contractor is defined as 'the sucker.'
-
"In the event that anything goes wrong with said invention,
-
the independent contractor is defined as 'the scapegoat.'"
-
Is there anything you'd like to say
-
before we hang you out to dry?
-
Can I make a phone call?
-
[TELEPHONE RINGS]
-
Yes?
-
I'm so nervous to meet you
-
in person, Mr. Dogbert.
-
I'm your biggest fan.
-
May I have some eye contact?
-
I've waited two hours.
-
Please, just one eye.
-
The only way to escape from a bad idea
-
is with an even worse idea.
-
You're welcome.
-
Using the same studies and data,
-
we could announce that chronic cubicle syndrome
-
never really existed.
-
It was a statistical aberration.
-
Then, if I could come up
-
with an even better market for Shockpants,
-
would you let me off the hook?
-
Would they still kill people?
-
Because I got to tell you, I never laughed so hard.
-
We can turn the voltage down,
-
and then we can market them
-
to a different group.
-
It's all about marketing.
-
He's correct.
-
Isn't everything?
-
This is beautiful.
-
You have one at home just like it.
-
[SCREAMS]
-
Who will tell me
-
who was the first president of the United States?
-
Your mother?
-
[SCREAMS]
-
[ALL SCREAMING]
-
I'm happy to report that sales of the Shockpants
-
are once again zooming.
-
I guess we all know who gets the credit.
-
Don't tell me.
-
It's the guys in Marketing.
-
No, but good guess.
-
Is it you?
-
As much as I deserve it, no.
-
The credit goes to my boss's boss's boss
-
who none of us have ever met and never will.
-
Credit travels up, blame travels down.
-
It's like drinking beer from a straw,
-
if you know what I mean.
-
I don't know what you mean.
-
Me neither. It's something I once heard.
-
Although I have been completely hosed
-
on the profits of my invention,
-
at least we can finally agree
-
that chronic cubicle syndrome
-
doesn't exist and never did.
-
Are you nuts?
-
Just look at the size of my butt.
-
The Dogbert exercise program really works.
-
And look at this muscle tone
-
since I started drinking that juice.
-
I'm not loud anymore!
-
It'll take 24 sessions, minimum.
-
Can you give me all 24 today? I'm in a hurry.
-
Well, I do want to put an addition on my house.
-
BOSS: Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!
-
[CRYING]
-
He's stronger than he looks.
-
Hi. How are you?
-
What are you staring at?