Dilbert cartoon first published on Sunday 21st November 2010

Dilbert//7890, first published sixteen years ago on Sunday 21st November 2010

Tags

prices confusing explain arms out piece of paper compete angry spank logical

Official transcript

Dilbert says, "Is it my imagination or is your pricing intentionally confusing?"

Coworker says, "It's intentionally confusing."

Coworker says, "That way you can't compare our prices to our competitors' prices."

Coworker says, "Our competitors do the same thing. It's called confusopoly."

Coworker says, "We all get our fair share of confused customers and we don't need to lower our prices to compete."

Coworker says, "We use the profits from our anti-competitive behavior to fun innovation."

Coworker says, "So don't ruin a good system by trying to understand what you're buying."

Dilbert says, "That almost sounds reasonable."

Coworker says, "Now spank yourself and thank me!"

originally published on dilbert.com

Open source transcript

IS IT MY IMAGINATION OR IS YOUR PRICING INTENTIONALLY CONFUSING?

DILBERTI SCOTT ADAMS dilbert.com IT'S INTENTIONALLY CONFUSING.

THAT WAY YOU CAN'T COMPARE OUR PRICES TO OUR COMPETITORS' PRICES.

OUR COMPETITORS DO THE SAME THING.

IT'S CALLED A CONFUSOPOLY.

WE ALL GET OUR FAIR SHARE OF CONFUSED CUSTOMERS AND WE DON'T NEED TO LOWER OUR PRICES TO COMPETE.

WE USE THE PROFITS FROM OUR ANTI-COMPETITIVE BEHAVIOR TO FUND INNOVATION.

SO DON'T RUIN A GOOD SYSTEM BY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE BUYING.

THAT ALMOST SOUNDS REASONABLE.

NOW SPANK YOURSELF AND THANK !

\I/

collated from github.com/jvarn/dilbert-archive

AI Analysis

Comic Strip Title: "Confusopoly"

Summary:

The comic strip, originally published in 2010, revolves around a conversation between a salesperson and a customer. The salesperson is attempting to sell the customer a product, but the customer is confused by the pricing and asks if it is intentional. The salesperson responds that it is indeed intentional, as they use the profits from their anti-competitive behavior to fund innovation.

The customer is skeptical and asks if they can compare prices with competitors. The salesperson explains that their competitors do the same thing, creating a "confusopoly" where prices are intentionally confusing to make it difficult for customers to compare. The customer is frustrated and decides to "spank" themselves, implying that they are taking responsibility for their own lack of understanding.

Key Points:

• Intentionally confusing pricing
• Anti-competitive behavior
• Confusopoly
• Difficulty comparing prices with competitors
• Customer frustration and self-blame

generated by llama-3.2-11b-vision-instruct

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