Can't get enough of your office life?

December 16, 2004 5:45 AM

Ugh... As if working in an office isn't enough. This is one toy I will NOT be buying for my kid. I get the irony, but man, how depressing would it be to see this under the xmas tree?
posted by mountainmambo (43 comments total)

I think the ability to build little cubicles is frightening. For those who love Dilbert however it might be fun. I see enough of the corporate life to the point where this would just freak me out if my daughter got this from a relative.
posted by kartooner at 5:51 AM on December 16, 2004

"thanks mom and dad, i'm gonna me build the biggest, baddest, most efficient productivity environment evAr!"
posted by moonbird at 5:51 AM on December 16, 2004

There's a healthy sense of irony about it. Also, I appreciate the arbitrary Job Title Generator.
posted by krysalist at 5:54 AM on December 16, 2004

This makes Baby Card Cheat cry.
posted by The Card Cheat at 6:00 AM on December 16, 2004

God, I don't know why, but I want one. Bad. I could make my own toy movie version of Office Space. But with more sex ... on top of the copy machine. And death. On top of the copy machine too.

Or maybe I'd just put the entire thing together painstakingly and then smash it all with a Godzilla action figure for catharsis. I'd be Godzilla. Upper managament would die slowly.

Now that's the ticket.

This is genius. No, really.
posted by Shane at 6:01 AM on December 16, 2004

Oops, geez ... (Not) on preview, exactly what XQUZYPHYR said.
posted by Shane at 6:03 AM on December 16, 2004

My Legos have been outsourced
posted by ElvisJesus at 6:10 AM on December 16, 2004

Do not take the office home with you.

I think building it in effigy counts as taking it home with you.
posted by jon_kill at 6:14 AM on December 16, 2004

I would buy this. And then I would make tiny little MetaFilter screenshots for each of their computers.

And tiny TPS forms.
posted by ColdChef at 6:15 AM on December 16, 2004

'Hey kids, time to start increasing shareholder value!'

Um... no thanks. *shudder*
posted by dparmet at 6:21 AM on December 16, 2004

And after leaving your toy cubicle, don't forget to stop here on the way home.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 6:28 AM on December 16, 2004

Oh my.. a McDonald's play-restaurant??? That is really disgusting. Well, it makes sense that Amazon would sell that.
posted by mountainmambo at 6:30 AM on December 16, 2004

I would have to kill Sue if I sat near her. She snaps her gum while she chews it. I hate her!!!
posted by iconomy at 6:32 AM on December 16, 2004

"...nine different plastic accessories including a cell phone, a calculator, a laptop and other office essentials."

Excuse me, I believe you have my stapler...
posted by badger_flammable at 6:37 AM on December 16, 2004

Is there a Outsourced Indian Software Sweatshop Expansion kit?
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 6:37 AM on December 16, 2004

There needs to be a shitty little bar where the ex-employee dolls can go and drown their sorrows after having been laid off from "The Cube"
posted by damnitkage at 6:44 AM on December 16, 2004

OK, the Junior Marketing associate with the Pear laptop made me laugh but then wince. Maybe the next expansion set will include a hoodie-wearing, man-bag carrying interface designer. Then they'll get my dollar.
posted by dougunderscorenelso at 7:01 AM on December 16, 2004

It could be worse. I saw this toy advertised on TV last night.
posted by jonmc at 7:02 AM on December 16, 2004

I'm actually considering getting these.
posted by adampsyche at 7:19 AM on December 16, 2004

(Love how the IT guy has a goatee. As if it could be any other way.)
posted by adampsyche at 7:21 AM on December 16, 2004

My question is when will they add the bearded, flannel-shirt-wearing disgruntled former-employee who is carrying a shotgun?
posted by mountainmambo at 7:31 AM on December 16, 2004

It could be worse. I saw this toy advertised on TV last night.

Mmm, a toy that allows children to make their own cream-based snacks. To hell with this nanny state obesity rubbish.
posted by biffa at 7:34 AM on December 16, 2004

Where do I find them? I WANT THEM!
posted by dogmatic at 7:36 AM on December 16, 2004

This could work for ultra-mini-golf...
posted by kamylyon at 7:37 AM on December 16, 2004

My question is when will they add the bearded, flannel-shirt-wearing disgruntled former-employee who is carrying a shotgun?

*looks around nervously, whistles*
posted by jonmc at 7:40 AM on December 16, 2004

Uh, yeah, I'm gonna need you to go ahead and come in on Saturday...
posted by PossumCowboy at 7:42 AM on December 16, 2004

All the excitement of the cube farm but you can smack them around with alot less repercusion. I wouldn't mind messing around with these but only so I could redo Office Space too.

If they have an exploding fax machine then I'm buying it, no question.
posted by fenriq at 7:42 AM on December 16, 2004

I can't wait to see the first action flicks, recreations of famous lay-offs, lost accounts and extended boring powerpoint presentations. I'm absolutely sure that suit-wearing Sue will get her share of plots. But we gotta give her a break, as her shopping habits couldn't be cooler.
posted by ValveAnnex at 8:00 AM on December 16, 2004

I bought these for my team last week, and they arrived yesterday. They are very cool, and were an immediate hit.

I may have to try that MeFi screenshot idea. But what would be cooler would be to create a miniature version of the Cubes to put inside the Cube itself.
posted by mkhall at 8:06 AM on December 16, 2004

I can just see managers purchasing masses of these and putting them into the pattern that matches their current office layout. Then they would get little sticks and move around the people like you see generals do in scratchy World War Two movies, complete with the sound of artillery in the background.
posted by Vaska at 8:10 AM on December 16, 2004

BTW, that subtle link was your hint, dogmatic.
posted by ValveAnnex at 8:14 AM on December 16, 2004

I want this. This would go perfectly with my Dilbert finger puppets. : )
posted by SisterHavana at 8:15 AM on December 16, 2004

ValveAnnex, no! Sue must die. Sorry.

I didn't realize you could actually order these, but since you can, I'm on it.
posted by iconomy at 8:16 AM on December 16, 2004

But what would be cooler would be to create a miniature version of the Cubes to put inside the Cube itself.

YAAAAAAH!
(horrified scream)
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 8:16 AM on December 16, 2004

Mostly I'm just entertained by the people who didn't realize these toys are for grownups.
posted by ook at 8:49 AM on December 16, 2004

The Dilbert 2005 Mini Wall Calendar (someone turned off the spam filter) is hanging in Jim's cubicle. He has all Fridays circled for casual dress day.
posted by redneck_zionist at 8:57 AM on December 16, 2004

(Love how the IT guy has a goatee. As if it could be any other way.)

Reminds me of Jim Rome. The character's name is even Jim.

I could have him pontificate for 10 minutes on (e.g.) why it's bad for Hockey Mom to flash her 11-year-old son's teammates at the game.
posted by kurumi at 9:07 AM on December 16, 2004

I see great potential here.

Playing with my Playskool firehouse made firemen cool.

Playing with my Lego medieval castle make knights in shining armor cool.

I really, really want this to take off.
posted by mudpuppie at 9:19 AM on December 16, 2004

It would be pretty fun to set fire to a large collection of these.
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 10:31 AM on December 16, 2004

The bad news: Four cubicles/four figures will set you back $52 plus postage from McPhee, but it's still tempting. Maybe just one set for my cubicle to (further) freak out my coworkers...
posted by Shane at 10:45 AM on December 16, 2004

See that Jim guy? That's me. Yep, goatee, black baseball cap on backwards, that whole "look" there. Dress code violations, dubious absences, yep. That's me. (Except I did not wait on line for any Latter Day Star Wars. Please, I have some self-respect.)

However, I'm not a "Junior Marketing Associate," I'm "Senior Web/Print Designer." Unfortunately, that's about the same point in the hierarchy here.

I've been freaking immortalized in plastic. Great.

*grumpy now*
posted by zoogleplex at 12:06 PM on December 16, 2004

Actually, in that initial shot, it looked like the girl was partially hiding an Ask MetaFilter window under an Excel window.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 1:23 PM on December 16, 2004

That's fucking awesome. I love action figures.
posted by chunking express at 3:45 PM on December 16, 2004