.gif)
Asok (Dilbert character)
Encyclopedia
Asok is an Indian intern
in the Dilbert
comic strip. His first appearance was March 18, 1996. He is a brilliant graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology.
The character is named after a friend and co-worker of strip creator Scott Adams
at Pacific Bell
. "Asok" is a common India
n name, though it is usually spelled "Ashok" and pronounced "Ah-shok". Scott Adams
confesses in his book Dilbert 2.0: 20 years of Dilbert that he had a coworker whose name was also Asok, with the same spelling he later used, and that he (Scott Adams) had no idea it was spelled differently. The name is an English variation of the name of the first major emperor of India
, Emperor Ashoka
. Asok himself is Indian, but that fact was not mentioned until September 2003, although in the animated series 1999 episode "Holiday", Asok mentions he has family living in India. Adams says in Seven Years of Highly Defective People
that this is because "I only like characters who have huge, gaping character flaws. The world is far too sensitive to let me get away with a highly flawed minority member."
Asok appears to be a fan of Indian music
: in the animated episode "Art" he is shown listening enthusiastically to a female vocalist singing in Hindi
.
for his coworkers' antics. Despite many years as an intern, and performing the functions of a senior engineer, Asok has been denied permission to be a regular employee and the usage of company resources for his work, apparently because the Pointy-haired boss
has approval to hire new senior engineers, but not interns. As he stated "If I promote you, my empire
, I mean department, won't grow."
It has been mentioned that Asok once used to work from the handicapped stall of the office bathroom; he was later asked to move to a storage facility (but was only allowed an hour leave for moving by the Pointy-Haired Boss
).
In recent times, Wally
had become a sort of bizarre mentor to the innocent Asok, and explains his highly cynical world view to the intern.
s, a trait that he allegedly carried over from his alma mater
. In addition, he was trained during his time at the Indian Institute of Technology in telekinesis, using it once to vaporize an obnoxious Texan
and more recently to stealthily steal donuts in a meeting, remove asbestos from the office, and he chokes the Boss by tightening his necktie after the Boss is not happy that Asok invented a superconductor that would eliminate the need for oil, saying that he should have been finding vendors for ink cartridges. As well, he has mentioned that he is mentally superior to most people on earth and he has the ability to reheat his tea by holding a cup to his forehead and thinking about fire.
The Dilbert TV series offered conflicting views of Asok's athletic abilities. In the episode "The Company Picnic" Asok is shown to be unable to throw a baseball
with either hand. In the episode "The Security Guard", Wally calls Asok "a woman", citing the fact he has little upper body strength (it is also mentioned that he once needed assistance to lift a computer monitor). However, Asok is also shown demonstrating impressive athletic feats as well. In the episode "The Shroud of Wally", Asok is able to hurl a briefcase
several dozen yards high through the open window of a rocket
and sprint away from it in only seconds to escape being engulfed in flames. Asok has also claimed to have killed a coyote
with only his keys, although he later concedes that it "might have been a potato
".
announced that Asok died while on a test of a moon shuttle prototype. (Co-piloted by The Grim Reaper
, the only person willing to work for free) Asok had planned to reincarnate into his clone
; unfortunately Carol
had reused the jar containing his DNA
as a candy
jar. On Saturday, December 8, Asok was reincarnated into a part human, part Snickers
bar - the result of Asok's DNA being mixed in with candy. On Monday, December 10, Asok's clone was informed by Dilbert that Asok had been killed, and that he had been reincarnated into a half man, half snack. Asok used his advanced shape shifting and guided reincarnation skills (learned at the Indian Institute of Technology) to change his form into that of a regular, peanut
and chocolate
-free, intern. It appears that Asok has been returned to normal as far as the Dilbert strip is concerned. In fact, the January 16, 2008 episode saw Asok tell the Boss that he was going to send his report to the Board of Directors, but the Boss said that he couldn't speak to the Board because he was an intern.
Asok has tried his hand at writing a book, when he got a book deal for writing about the stupid things his point haired boss was saying.
On October 29, 2010, the pointy-haired boss promoted Asok from intern to "limbo", the state "between the living and the damned".
Intern
Internship is a system of onthejob training for white-collar jobs, similar to an apprenticeship. Interns are usually college or university students, but they can also be high school students or post graduate adults seeking skills for a new career. They may also be as young as middle school or in...
in the Dilbert
Dilbert
Dilbert is an American comic strip written and drawn by Scott Adams. First published on April 16, 1989, Dilbert is known for its satirical office humor about a white-collar, micromanaged office featuring the engineer Dilbert as the title character...
comic strip. His first appearance was March 18, 1996. He is a brilliant graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology.
The character is named after a friend and co-worker of strip creator Scott Adams
Scott Adams
Scott Raymond Adams is the American creator of the Dilbert comic strip and the author of several nonfiction works of satire, commentary, business, and general speculation....
at Pacific Bell
Pacific Bell
The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company was the name of the Bell System's telephone operations in California. It gained in size by acquiring smaller telephone companies along the Pacific coast, such as Sunset Telephone & Telegraph in 1917...
. "Asok" is a common India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n name, though it is usually spelled "Ashok" and pronounced "Ah-shok". Scott Adams
Scott Adams
Scott Raymond Adams is the American creator of the Dilbert comic strip and the author of several nonfiction works of satire, commentary, business, and general speculation....
confesses in his book Dilbert 2.0: 20 years of Dilbert that he had a coworker whose name was also Asok, with the same spelling he later used, and that he (Scott Adams) had no idea it was spelled differently. The name is an English variation of the name of the first major emperor of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Emperor Ashoka
Ashoka
Ashok Maurya or Ashoka , popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from ca. 269 BC to 232 BC. One of India's greatest emperors, Ashoka reigned over most of present-day India after a number of military conquests...
. Asok himself is Indian, but that fact was not mentioned until September 2003, although in the animated series 1999 episode "Holiday", Asok mentions he has family living in India. Adams says in Seven Years of Highly Defective People
Seven Years of Highly Defective People
In the book Seven Years of Highly Defective People, Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams explains the origins and evolution of many of the Dilbert characters, and he includes comments under each comic strip reprinted in the book. In his introduction, Adams says, "Some of the notes are fascinating...
that this is because "I only like characters who have huge, gaping character flaws. The world is far too sensitive to let me get away with a highly flawed minority member."
Asok appears to be a fan of Indian music
Music of India
The music of India includes multiple varieties of folk, popular, pop, classical music and R&B. India's classical music tradition, including Carnatic and Hindustani music, has a history spanning millennia and developed over several eras. It remains fundamental to the lives of Indians today as...
: in the animated episode "Art" he is shown listening enthusiastically to a female vocalist singing in Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
.
Relationship to office politics
Asok often solves difficult problems in a few keystrokes, but he is still naïve to the cruelties and politics of the business world. As a result, he often ends up being the scapegoatScapegoat
Scapegoating is the practice of singling out any party for unmerited negative treatment or blame. Scapegoating may be conducted by individuals against individuals , individuals against groups , groups against individuals , and groups against groups Scapegoating is the practice of singling out any...
for his coworkers' antics. Despite many years as an intern, and performing the functions of a senior engineer, Asok has been denied permission to be a regular employee and the usage of company resources for his work, apparently because the Pointy-haired boss
Pointy-Haired Boss
The pointy-haired boss is Dilbert's boss in the Dilbert comic strip. He is notable for his micromanagement, gross incompetence and unawareness of his surroundings, yet somehow retains power in the workplace...
has approval to hire new senior engineers, but not interns. As he stated "If I promote you, my empire
Empire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....
, I mean department, won't grow."
It has been mentioned that Asok once used to work from the handicapped stall of the office bathroom; he was later asked to move to a storage facility (but was only allowed an hour leave for moving by the Pointy-Haired Boss
Pointy-Haired Boss
The pointy-haired boss is Dilbert's boss in the Dilbert comic strip. He is notable for his micromanagement, gross incompetence and unawareness of his surroundings, yet somehow retains power in the workplace...
).
In recent times, Wally
Wally (Dilbert character)
Wally is a character from the Dilbert comic strip, a lazy employee always trying to work the system.-Inspiration:Wally was inspired by a coworker of creator Scott Adams at Pacific Bell...
had become a sort of bizarre mentor to the innocent Asok, and explains his highly cynical world view to the intern.
Physical abilities
Asok is trained to sleep only on national holidayHoliday
A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations...
s, a trait that he allegedly carried over from his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
. In addition, he was trained during his time at the Indian Institute of Technology in telekinesis, using it once to vaporize an obnoxious Texan
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and more recently to stealthily steal donuts in a meeting, remove asbestos from the office, and he chokes the Boss by tightening his necktie after the Boss is not happy that Asok invented a superconductor that would eliminate the need for oil, saying that he should have been finding vendors for ink cartridges. As well, he has mentioned that he is mentally superior to most people on earth and he has the ability to reheat his tea by holding a cup to his forehead and thinking about fire.
The Dilbert TV series offered conflicting views of Asok's athletic abilities. In the episode "The Company Picnic" Asok is shown to be unable to throw a baseball
Baseball (object)
A baseball is a ball used primarily in the sport of the same name, baseball. The ball features a rubber or cork center, wrapped in yarn and covered in leather. It is in circumference . The yarn or string used to wrap the baseball can be up to one mile in length...
with either hand. In the episode "The Security Guard", Wally calls Asok "a woman", citing the fact he has little upper body strength (it is also mentioned that he once needed assistance to lift a computer monitor). However, Asok is also shown demonstrating impressive athletic feats as well. In the episode "The Shroud of Wally", Asok is able to hurl a briefcase
Briefcase
A briefcase is a narrow box-shaped bag or case used mainly for carrying papers and other documents and equipped with a handle. Lawyers commonly use briefcases to carry briefs to present to a court, hence the name...
several dozen yards high through the open window of a rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
and sprint away from it in only seconds to escape being engulfed in flames. Asok has also claimed to have killed a coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
with only his keys, although he later concedes that it "might have been a potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
".
Death and reincarnation
Scott Adams stated in a late October 2007 interview that one of the regular characters was to die soon. On December 7, 2007 the Pointy-Haired BossPointy-Haired Boss
The pointy-haired boss is Dilbert's boss in the Dilbert comic strip. He is notable for his micromanagement, gross incompetence and unawareness of his surroundings, yet somehow retains power in the workplace...
announced that Asok died while on a test of a moon shuttle prototype. (Co-piloted by The Grim Reaper
Death (personification)
The concept of death as a sentient entity has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, Death is often given the name Grim Reaper and, from the 15th century onwards, came to be shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe and clothed in a black cloak with a hood...
, the only person willing to work for free) Asok had planned to reincarnate into his clone
Human cloning
Human cloning is the creation of a genetically identical copy of a human. It does not usually refer to monozygotic multiple births nor the reproduction of human cells or tissue. The ethics of cloning is an extremely controversial issue...
; unfortunately Carol
Carol (Dilbert character)
Carol Cerberus is the Pointy-Haired Boss's misanthropic and bitter secretary in the Dilbert comic strip, who feels she is underappreciated and demeaned by her job and therefore takes out her frustration on all employees, especially her boss. Occasionally, when other major characters are plotting...
had reused the jar containing his DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
as a candy
Candy
Candy, specifically sugar candy, is a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar in water, to which flavorings and colorants are added...
jar. On Saturday, December 8, Asok was reincarnated into a part human, part Snickers
Snickers
Snickers is a brand name chocolate bar made by Mars, Incorporated. It consists of peanut nougat topped with roasted peanuts and caramel, enrobed in milk chocolate. Snickers has annual global sales of $2 billion....
bar - the result of Asok's DNA being mixed in with candy. On Monday, December 10, Asok's clone was informed by Dilbert that Asok had been killed, and that he had been reincarnated into a half man, half snack. Asok used his advanced shape shifting and guided reincarnation skills (learned at the Indian Institute of Technology) to change his form into that of a regular, peanut
Peanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
and chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
-free, intern. It appears that Asok has been returned to normal as far as the Dilbert strip is concerned. In fact, the January 16, 2008 episode saw Asok tell the Boss that he was going to send his report to the Board of Directors, but the Boss said that he couldn't speak to the Board because he was an intern.
Asok has tried his hand at writing a book, when he got a book deal for writing about the stupid things his point haired boss was saying.
On October 29, 2010, the pointy-haired boss promoted Asok from intern to "limbo", the state "between the living and the damned".