Scott Adams is a famous American cartoonist and writer. He created the popular comic strip Dilbert, which made fun of office life and became huge in the 1990s. But Adams is more than just a cartoonist. He's also written several best-selling books and is interested in how psychology affects persuasion. Lately, he's also become a well-known, and sometimes controversial, figure because of his opinions on politics.
Scott Adams gives solid words of wisdom after revealing his cancer diagnosis.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 19, 2025
"I realize that for some of you, this is hitting you hard because you're hearing it for the first time."
"I have to say that everybody has to die, as far as I know. And it's kind of civilized that you… pic.twitter.com/g5eRulqKH8
Early Life
Scott Adams entered the world on June 8, 1957, in Windham, New York, spending his childhood in a quiet, small town. Even as a kid, he loved reading and creating art. Later, he pursued higher education, earning an economics degree from Hartwick College in 1979. Not stopping there, he went on to get an MBA in economics and management from the University of California, Berkeley. This mix of creativity and business knowledge laid the groundwork for his future career.
Career Roles
Office workers everywhere absolutely loved Dilbert because it perfectly captured all the everyday annoyances of corporate life. Think endless red tape, truly terrible bosses, and just the general absurdity that often comes with a desk job. It was like Adams could draw exactly what everyone else was feeling, but couldn't quite put it into words. People felt seen and understood by the comic.
By the mid-1990s, Dilbert had become a massive hit. It was published in over 2,000 newspapers and translated into tons of different languages. This widespread success made Adams one of the most celebrated cartoonists of his generation, all thanks to his sharp observations about the sometimes-bonkers world of work.
Books and Broader Influence
Adams has not been limited to just comic books in his career. He has also explored other genres as well.
The Dilbert Principle (1996), humorously critiques corporate management practices and became a New York Times bestseller.
How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big (2013), a semi-autobiographical book that shares Adams’ philosophy on success, failure, and systems thinking.
Win Bigly (2017), in which he analyzes Donald Trump’s persuasion techniques during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Health Struggles
Scott Adams has battled some tough health issues. He developed focal dystonia, a nerve condition that actually made him lose the ability to draw. Can you imagine a cartoonist losing his ability to earn a livelihood? He also struggled with spasmodic dysphonia, a rare voice problem that made speaking really hard, especially in public. There was a time he honestly worried he'd never be able to talk normally again.
Scott Adams has faced significant health challenges, most notably focal dystonia, a neurological condition that caused him to lose the ability to draw. He also suffered from spasmodic dysphonia, a rare voice disorder that affected his speech and made public speaking difficult. At one point, he feared he might never speak normally again.
In a surprising and public way, Adams documented his recovery process, which included innovative treatments like voice therapy and even hypnosis. He eventually regained much of his vocal ability and returned to speaking engagements.
His health issues have been a central theme in his writing, particularly in How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, where he discusses how setbacksincluding losing his voice and his drawing ability, forced him to reinvent himself multiple times.
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