Horrible Bosses

[Lilith]

That there was some funny shit!

I laughed my ass off.

[Oldfart]

Not open here yet, dammit.

[jonnymark]

If the negative portrayal of managers in Horrible Bosses were an aberration, it wouldn't matter much — but examples abound. The 1980 movie 9 to 5 followed pretty much the same premise. Then there is Dilbert and The Office. It is difficult to think of a movie or television show in which the boss is a truly positive character. Searching our own memories, we had to go back the 1970s series Lou Grant for an example. While there are no doubt other examples, their scarcity tells us something about society's view of managers.

[gekkogecko]

Yes, but are you arguing that view is accurate/inaccurate?

[Lilith]

He's not. It's a bot.

[Lord Snow]

The reason movies/comics portray managers in such a bad light is because it tends to make a funnier movie. It also tends to make a more personal connection with the viewer. I know I haven't been through as many jobs as some, but I've had "that boss". The one that no one liked, actually didn't seem to know anything about what was going on, and yet still told you how to do something. Then complained because it didn't come out right. Every story has to have a bad guy of some kind, why not the boss? I've seen a few movies where it was the employee that was a pain.