Dilbert cartoon first published on Sunday 30th April 2017

Dilbert//10242, first published nine years ago on Sunday 30th April 2017

Tags

technology, cognition, distraction, entertainment, mindless, cell phone, internet, social media

Official transcript

Dilbert: I wanted to be productive this week but the big tech companies didn't let me. Boss: That's ridiculous. They can't stop people from doing work. Dilbert: Actually, they can. Their business models depend on interrupting users with ads, and apps, and mindless entertainment. Until recently, humans could resist these distractions. But now the tech companies are using science to make their apps addictive. They learned how to hijack our brains. What started as simple entertainment evolved into military-grade mind control. Did you hear any of that? Boss: Any of what?

originally published on dilbert.com

Open source transcript

I WANTED TO BE PRODUCTIVE THIS WEEK, BUT THE BIG TECH COMPANIES DIDN'T LET ME.

THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

THEY CAN'T STOP PEOPLE FROM DOING WORK.

ACTUALLY, THEY CAN.

THEIR BUSINESS MODELS DEPEND ON INTERRUPTING USERS WITH ADS, AND APPS, AND MINDLESS ENTERTAINMENT.

UNTIL RECENTLY HUMANS COULD RESIST THESE DISTRACTIONS.

BUT NOW THE TECH COMPANIES ARE USING SCIENCE TO MAKE THEIR APPS ADDICTIVE. THEY LEARNED HOW TO HIJACK OUR BRAINS.

WHAT STARTED AS SIMPLE ENTERTAINMENT EVOLVED INTO MILITARY-GRADE MIND CONTROL.

DID YOU HEAR ANY OF THAT?

ANY WHAT?

collated from github.com/jvarn/dilbert-archive

AI Analysis

Comic Strip Title: "Mindless Entertainment"

Summary:

The comic strip, titled "Mindless Entertainment," features Dilbert and his coworkers discussing the impact of technology on their work environment. The conversation begins with Dilbert expressing his frustration with the lack of productivity due to the distractions caused by technology. His coworkers argue that the technology is not the problem, but rather the users who cannot resist the distractions.

The conversation then shifts to a discussion about the evolution of entertainment from simple military-grade mind control to modern-day apps and games. The coworkers wonder if they have heard of anything that can resist the distractions caused by these apps.

The comic strip highlights the challenges of maintaining productivity in a world where technology is increasingly prevalent and distracting. It pokes fun at the idea that humans are unable to resist the allure of mindless entertainment, and that even simple tasks can be disrupted by the constant stream of notifications and distractions. Overall, the comic strip provides a humorous commentary on the impact of technology on modern life.

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