Remembering Scott Adams and Dilbert

Long before workplace satire found new life in TV Shows, YouTube videos and reels, Scott Adams was already holding up a mirror to office life through Dilbert. Dilbert is a comic strip by Scott Adams, first published in 1989. Through a simple daily strip in newspapers, it quietly mocked how ridiculous modern workplaces and managers had become. Yesterday, January 13, 2026, Scott Adams passed away at the age of 68 after battling prostate cancer.

Though rooted in America, Dilbert travelled well across borders. As American management ideas were adopted globally, the satire felt familiar everywhere. In India, I believe the strip was especially well received by software professionals. Many of us had exposure to working with American counterparts and could immediately relate to the situations, the jargon, and the characters.

If I remember right, I was introduced to Dilbert through The Economic Times, which carried the strip every day. Around 2007, I bought several Dilbert collections as books from the Landmark bookstore in Chennai. Those books became my stressbusters during a difficult phase in my life. I was navigating my software business through the turbulence of the US subprime crisis and the global economic slowdown. On many days, those strips helped me smile when things felt uncertain. You were one of the authors who helped me during that time. Thank you, Mr Scott Adams. Even before, I had subscribed to his online newsletter that delivered a comic strip every single day. It stayed as part of my morning routine for a long time.

Around 2023, many newspapers and the newsletter stopped publishing Scott Adams’ work after his controversial racial comments. I certainly missed seeing Dilbert regularly. That is when I discovered a few groups on Facebook and Reddit that continued sharing the strips. They never quite felt the same as his earlier work, but I still follow them.

Reading his obituary in The New York Times helped me understand more about the person behind the comics. I learned about his strong support for US President Donald Trump and his beliefs. I also read about how he had been battling prostate cancer for the last few years and the unconventional treatment choices he made. It reminded me of something important. The author behind a popular work can be very different from the ideal version we create in our minds as readers. I loved his work because it made me laugh and helped me cope. I do not need to agree with an author’s personality, choices, or views to value what their work meant to me. The work stands on its own.

I will continue to remember Dilbert, Dogbert, and the small universe Scott Adams created. I will cherish his work and reread the strips whenever I get a chance. Thank you, Mr Adams, for giving the world something to laugh about and for helping many of us get through unpleasant workdays and workplaces.

Note: Here is the link to his final tweet and message.