What about Dilbert? LO10576

GREGG_OKUNAMI@hp-santaclara-om3.om.hp.com
Fri, 18 Oct 96 07:33:07 -0700

Replying to LO10530 --

Scott Adams was taking calls in a talk radio format for National
Public Radio two days ago. I heard someone ask him if he has a
deeper direction with Dilbert. That is, is he trying to evoke change
out of organizations or just trying to make a buck. Quite matter of
factly, Scott said that he is just trying to make a buck. That it is
interesting that his cartoons may be spurring on new conversation of
change, but basically he writes about what is funny or absurd, and
that's it.

I think his humor is so good because I can relate to it. Dilbert is a
way for me to express an aspect of current reality that I know exists,
but an unable to express (for many reasons). I wouldn't classify
Dilbert as "causing" serious problems, I just think he is pointing
some of them out. He is putting them in the open. The serious
problems have been there all along. If they weren't, people wouldn't
find him funny.

There is a deeper side to your question that strikes me and that is
the "model" that says, in order to bring up problems, you should also
have a solution, otherwise don't bring them up. I think that LO
concepts are meant to explore reality, in all its facets, such that
better solutions can be derived. A LO would pay a big price (as many
organizations do) if only issues that had solutions were brought up.
And of course, your comments are valid also. There is disruption
brought on by Dilbert.

The question for me is, how can we utilize this energy to move our
organizations forward?

--
     
     Gregg Okunami
     Gregg_Okunami@HP.com  

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>