Andy and I get the Dilbert one-a-day calendar every year. Yesterday’s page was this one:
Des anyone understand the joke? We’re clueless and are scratching our heads.
August 30, 2022
Does Anyone Understand This One?
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I’m guessing it has something to do with the video game Portal. “The Cake is a Lie” is a catchphrase in it and if you google “trust the cake” it pops up with references to Portal.
Thank you!
I understand the whole thing but no trust the cake, have no clue about any video games, as the other comment says. I do remember hating the stupid useless team building things at work
Mike explains it down below.
Management can’t be trusted?!! Heck if I know.
See Mike’s comment.
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=the%20cake%20is%20a%20lie
the cake is a lie
Roughly translates to “your promised reward is merely a fictitious motivator”. Popularized by the game “Portal” (found on Half-Life 2’s “Orange Box” game release for PC, X-Box 360, and PS3). During the game, an electronic voice encourages you to solve intricate puzzles using cake as a motivating perk. When you have “broken out” of the game’s initial testing phase (from threat of death), you find scrawls on walls of the innards of the testing center warning you that “the cake is a lie”.
Employee #1: Yo, Dave, manager says we will probably get a promotion if we meet the sales expectations for this quarter.
Employee #2: Yeah, so, don’t get your hopes up on that one, Ed. The cake is a lie.
Employee #1: Really, aw crap.
Thank you! I’m glad I asked.
I’m not into video games. After reading the explanations here it still doesn’t tickle my funny bone.
At least Andy and I aren’t puzzled any more.
I don’t know how I missed this…I didn’t understand it anyway. But it would have provided food for thought…
See Mike’s comment above.
All I can say is that he is bribing her to come for the cake. Obviously her thoughts are right.
But the “cake” is a lie. See Mike’s explanation above. I’m glad I asked. 🙂
Well I got all of it except the “trust the cake”. I see from the comments though that it means a lie.
Hurray for blogging for explanations. 🙂
I learned something! Thank you, Mike!
Like Sandra, in a land far, far away I remember being forced to participate in those inane team-building exercises. I strongly suspect the only ones who enjoyed them was the management team.
I went on two retreats for our group. The first one was fun, the second one was a bore. I’m glad there were no more.