Michael Scott is a very strange man. It’s very difficult to get inside his head because his own outlook on life and behaviors change so frequently. One minute he is a genuinely touching shoulder to cry on and a strangely good boss, and the next he is wreaking havoc on the careers of his employees and insulting just about every race, religion and creed (and Creed) available.
Here are ten of the biggest mysteries surrounding the head of the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin paper, from the personality-defining to the minor.
Why He Hated Toby So Much
We all know that Toby was a representation of a lack of freedom for Michael. He wanted the ability to say and do what he wanted in his office, and Toby’s presence stopped that from being a possibility. However, why Michael hated Toby to the point of relentlessly bullying him in front of everyone and openly suggesting that he wanted him dead remains a mystery. How could he say all of those things without an ounce of guilt?
Why He Loved Ryan So Much
While Michael’s extreme hatred of Toby made no sense, his devoted love of Ryan was just about as illogical. Ryan was a relatively minor part of the show (despite for some reason being billed as one of the five main cast members) and provided the least humor out of any of them. He was arrogant, rude and dismissive and had nothing interesting about him unlike everyone else. Despite all of that, Michael seemed to be enthralled by his existence and thought the two were best friends.
Why He Stayed With Jan
Michael craved intimacy and wanted to be liked by everyone. As such, when the opportunity to have a relationship with Jan arose, he jumped on it and latched on for dear life.
However, soon after, Michael openly admitted that he wasn’t happy when he was with her, and their dinner party proved that the two did very little other than argue. Why he didn’t walk out sooner remains a mystery.
How He Ever Got Any Work Done
Pretty much everything we ever see in The Office is built on Michael’s disregard for the time his employers are paying him for. He is planning practical jokes or parties or doing impressions or going on pointless adventures; there are almost no examples of him actually getting his job done. Where does he find the time to keep his branch successful?
But How He Remained Good At His Job
Considering all of the above, Michael can’t be good at his job, simply because he actually does his job so infrequently. Despite this, Michael’s performance (particularly in later seasons) is frequently praised.
All of his superiors know how he spends his time and how incompetent he is, but they never seem to reflect this when they’re showering him in compliments about his performance and the success of his branch.
How He Was So Oblivious To His Racism
In just the second episode of the show, Michael demonstrates just how racist he is deep down (despite really not wanting to be, and not having any malicious intent). He quotes a Chris Rock joke word-for-word, prompting a seminar about acceptance. A while later, he speaks to Kelly in a mock-Indian accent and seems to think that Stanley’s blackness is pretty much his only personality trait.
And His Homophobia
At the same time as being a huge accidental racist, Michael is also an accidental homophobe.
He obviously doesn’t dislike gay people, but the fact that he could out Oscar without his permission and has no realization that has done anything wrong is astonishing. On top of that, the idea of him forcing Oscar to kiss him is incredibly uncomfortable and him not realizing that it's just plain weird.
And How He Never Realised Why People Were So Confused By Him
On top of his various accidental phobias, Michael’s entire personality was just bizarre. The way he spoke to people and the crazy things he did are almost completely incomprehensible to most.
Despite this, he never really seemed to realize that his actions pretty much made those around him lose all respect for him, view him as a joke of a man, and in many cases, actively dislike him.
How He Could Be So Overconfident
Most people in the world aren’t confident enough to stand up and talk in front of people. Michael Scott is, and we applaud him for it. However, the fact that he is able to do everything he would do on his own in front of a crowd with absolutely no filter is incredible. It is never explained why Michael seems to have absolutely no comprehension of shyness.
What He Does Outside Of Work
While we end up learning a lot about Michael’s character, almost everything we see of him takes place inside the office. One of the only ventures to his house shows his love of his tiny TV, but that’s about all we learn of his extraneous activities. He thrives in an environment in which he can perform; what is he doing when sat alone at home? His personality must change drastically.