Michael+Scott

By: Maddie Pearson
 * Michael Scott **

**Biography** Michael Scott is the main character of the popular American TV show “The Office”. He is the regional manager of the Scranton branch of the paper company Dunder Mifflin. The show is a “mockumentary” where cameras follow the office’s employees in their day-to-day work lives, involving meetings, sales calls, usually some office drama and occasionally venturing outside the office. Michael is the comedian of the office, he is always telling jokes and playing pranks on others in the office. His jokes are usually wildly inappropriate especially for the workplace, which causes a lot of issues with the other employees. His use of his favorite catchphrase “that’s what she said” in various inappropriate situations is often the reason he gets into trouble. Michael is always trying to be everyone’s friend. He often avoids situations where he needs to take an authority over someone because he is afraid he might lose their friendship. Michael started his career with Dunder Mifflin as a salesman and worked his way up to his position as regional manager. He was a very successful salesman and won several salesman of the year awards. Michael often gets into trouble with his superiors for various reasons including his inappropriateness and laid back approach to management. He is constantly making a fool of himself and is frequently the subject of jokes from his subordinates. Often times Michael is too oblivious to realize and usually thinks people are laughing with him instead of at him. Michael is often portrayed as a buffoon because he is very gullible and unaware of what is going on around him. Michael is can be described as selfish since he often blames others for his mishaps while taking credit for accomplishments he hasn’t done. **Psychoanalytic Perspective** Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory is famous for his structural model of personality. Freud believed that everyone has an Id, Ego and a Superego. Michael Scott is someone who acts on his Id frequently. Michael is driven by his own wants, desires and needs regardless of what others may want or need. For example in one episode Michael’s goofing around in the warehouse leads to Darryl the warehouse manager to get hurt. Michael decided to knock him off of a ladder just so he could say “Hey Darryl how’s it hangin’?” In another episode, Michael drives the forklift in the warehouse and ends up knocking over most of the shelving units that store supplies for the company. In an interview Darryl says that the warehouse has never been able to go “accident free” for a year because of Michael’s antics. This shows that Michael does not think about how his actions will affect others, he only does what he wants. According to Freud, Michael could be characterized as being fixated in the Phallic Stage of Psychosexual Development. The conflict that must be overcome in this stage is learning that overt sexual behavior is socially unacceptable. Michael’s inappropriate jokes and comments are examples of this. His “that’s what she said jokes” are always sexual double entendres about women. For example in one conversation, Darryl tells Michael he needs to take over control of the office and “get back on top”, Michael responded with “that’s what she said”. In the episode “The Secret” Michael takes salesman Jim (whom he considers to be his best friend) out to lunch at Hooters where Michael proceeds to giggle at the waitresses’ large breasts and make rude jokes to them. People who are stuck in the Phallic Stage are usually narcissistic. Michael loves to be the center of attention all the time, making him very self-absorbed. Michael’s trademark item in his office is his “World’s Best Boss” mug, which he gave to himself. Only a true narcissist would call himself the world’s best boss. In the episode “The Injury” Michael burns his foot on his George Forman Grill and has Dwight (another salesman and his right hand man) come and get him from home since he cannot drive due to his injured foot. On his way to get Michael, Dwight hits a pole and gets a concussion. Once they are back in the office Dwight starts showing signs of a concussion and his coworkers insist on taking him to the hospital. Michael only ends up going because he is Dwight’s emergency contact person. Once they are at the hospital Michael pesters the doctor by asking the doctor about his foot injury while he was trying to examine Dwight. On Michael’s birthday one of his coworkers Kevin finds out that he is being tested for cancer. Instead of being supportive Michael is bitter that no one seems to want to celebrate his birthday because they are all worried about Kevin. These all prove that Michael is a very narcissistic person who is stuck in the Phallic Stage of development. **Traits Perspective** The Big Five Trait Approach states that people can be either high or low in five common traits found in each personality. The traits are extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness. Michael would be very high in extroversion since he is always telling jokes and loves being the center of attention. Michael spends more time out of his office with the rest of his coworkers than he does in his office by himself. He often finds excuses to not be in his office alone and lingers with everyone else for their company. He also tends to call meetings for no reason to discuss mundane things with no importance. Michael would be somewhere in the middle of the agreeableness trait. Although he is a friendly person, he is not modest or easy-going. As described before, he gave himself his own “world’s best boss” mug. He also often refuses to do what other people want in favor for what he wants to do. While on sales call with Dwight, he ignores Dwight’s opposition to eating at IHOP because that is the only place that Michael wants to eat at that day. Michael would be low in conscientiousness, making him impulsive. In the episode “Dunder Mifflin Infinity”, Michael drives his car into a lake while thinking that his GPS is telling him of a shortcut. During a Christmas party Michael buys a large amount of alcohol, going against company policy, to lighten the mood without thinking about all the consequences that could happen. These examples clearly show that Michael does not stop to think things through. Michael would be considered very low on the neuroticism scale. He does show some hostility towards others but mainly towards Toby, the HR representative. He does not show signs of anxiety or depression often. Michael would also be high on openness, for his frequent over sharing of personal information with his employees. He told the entire office details of his sexual relationship with his boss, Jan. He also once shared with everyone in the office that he didn’t lose his virginity until he was 28 years old. Another aspect of the trait perspective is Henry Murray’s Needs. Michael would be high in the need for achievement, which is the need to succeed in societal tasks. Throughout the series, Michael is looking for someone to start a family with. He has a few serious relationships and often screws things up because he wants to be so serious with someone so fast. For example, he proposed to his girlfriend Carol on their ninth date. He also took a picture of Carol with her ex-husband and children and photoshopped his face over her ex-husbands so that he could be apart of the family. Michael would also be very high in the need for affiliation, or the need to win the affection of others. As discussed earlier, Michael’s motives are often affected by whether or not people will like him in the end. In the episode “Halloween” Michael has orders from corporate to lay off an employee by the end of the day. Michael has a hard time with the decision because he wants to make sure whomever he fires will remain his friend. In the need for power, Michael would be especially high. Although he wants to be everyone’s friend, he does love being the boss and having power. In “The Coup” Dwight attempts to go behind Michael’s back to take over his job. Michael is outraged by this and punishes Dwight by making him do his laundry for a year. Michael would obviously be high in exhibition. Michael often refers to himself as the entertainer of the office. He’s always showing off new jokes that he’s learned and trying to get everyone’s attention. **Discussion**  The Psychoanalytic and Trait perspectives of psychology both show that Michael is someone who uses his jokes to try and bring people closer to him. His biggest want or desire would be for a family or friends. As a child Michael had an appearance on a local children’s television show and he was quoted as saying “when I grow up I want to get married and have 100 kids so that I can have 100 friends and no one can say no to being my friend”. The examples discussed previously also show how Michael often places his desire for friends over his work. Both perspectives also demonstrate that Michael is a narcissistic person who rarely thinks of others. From his own “world’s best boss” mug to the way he disregards what others want there are many examples of how Michael is narcissistic in nature while acting on his Id.

**References** The Office Quotes: Michael Scott []

The Office Episode List [] //The Office//. NBC. Los Angeles, CA. 2005-2011. Television.