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There are many ways that people who work the “typical” 9 to 5 job can probably relate to the show, 'The Office' in many ways. From the relationship to your not-so-stable boss, to office rivalries to office romance, all of these things can happen in any office or business. Our lives around work produce many meaningful and funny story-lines and watching this show always brought them to the surface. The show was great because each of the characters presented something a viewer could relate to.
A Boss Who's Out of Touch
One of the best parts of the show is the behavior and antics of Michael Scott, the boss at the office. From holding meetings with no real purpose, to providing information that nobody really needs to know, Michael was the nucleus on which the show was built. He's relatable because everyone thinks their boss is a bit on the crazy side. From his infatuation with Ryan through his relationship with Jan, to his bankruptcy, Michael Scott keeps you laughing. It's partly the catchy dialogue but also it's the fact that we've been in uncomfortable work based gatherings, for training or for fun. A boss like Michael who acts alternately like a 10 yr old kid and someone without a clue brings a ton of situations we can relate to. We just wish we didn’t have to.
Annoying Coworkers
Whenever there are people with different perspectives on life working together, there's a chance for someone to be annoying. You may not work with someone like Dwight Shrute but his antics probably remind you of what some of your coworkers can do. Jim Halpert was a likeable character because he was fighting the fight we all wish that we could. Many of us would like to pull pranks on our own Dwights. It'd be fun to send him messages from the future, wrap his desk in wrapping paper or just come to work dressed up like him. Dwight is the annoying, rule minding, suck up that we all have dealt with and with each prank against him, and we're all able to take pleasure in the payback for time wasted in our own work life. Jim provides the likeable jokester part of the equation that we all would like to be.
Dealing with Corporate Foolishness
Anyone who has ever worked for a large company understands the problems faced by all of the employees of Dunder Mifflin Paper. As the rules get sent down from the higher levels of management, the working class people have to implement them and make them work in real life. Sometimes it seems like things are going just fine and then a decree from one of the higher-ups comes to change everything. These changes seem to have very little to do with the reality of performing your job. So when Michael has to deal with the new policies that the New York Office sends, it's relatable. We'd all like to just ignore them and throw them away like Michael Scott but in the real world you've to follow the policy. No matter who you are, you can relate to having to deal with short sighted, difficult policy changes that're done for no good reason.
The Office supplied everyone who has ever worked in that type of situation a relatable visual experience. It provided a great escape from the mundane daily existence that work can be. Some of it might have been a bit unrealistic but in a world where things are constantly changing it was nice to be able to watch a group of people you care about deal with situations that you can relate to. Where we work's a huge part of our lives and the people we work with, good and bad are a part of it. That's why watching the office connects with so many people because it represents the modern version of the American Dream.