The cake is a lie
Implies that a promised reward for one's work is false, with the one proffering the reward never intending to give it in the first place, possibly because the reward never even existed (see also: "
there is no spoon"). This phrase can be used to express grief or frustration regarding any situation where there is an imbalance between effort and reward. This phrase was popularized by the game "Portal" by
Valve Software Corporation.During the game,
GlaDOS, an artificially intelligent operating system and the
game's passive-aggressive guide, uses the reward of cake as a
motivating factor in an attempt to manipulate the player. It is first mentioned during the "impossible puzzle room", where she urges the player to "quit now and cake will be served immediately". In a later stage, the player can access a "hidden" area of the testing chamber to find a previous test participant had
scrawled "
The cake is a lie!" among other warning messages. Cake continues to remain the promised reward for completing the test and/or obeying GlaDOS, particularly in the final stages of the game. Finally, in the ending song, GlaDOS cheerfully sings about how "there's no sense crying over every mistake, you just keep on trying 'till you run out of cake."In the game, cake serves as a carefully calculated motivational device, but there are suggestions that it also serves as an essence of humanity--the ability to
eat cake, taste it, and experience emotional pleasure from it--which a computer cannot experience even with artificial intelligence. In this less commonly-used sense, the phrase "
the cake is a lie" can also imply that one's emotions or the basis of one's emotions are false, with cake representing emotion, emotional basis, or emotional capability.
The cake is a lie
by aquaman153 on Jul 10, 2011 00:03:55
a phrase meaning something to the effect of "you know that thing you where promised to be rewarded after you completed this task? well, it doesn't exist". could also be described as being trolled. the term was coined by the video game Portal in which your player would
navigate through a
labyrinth of tests while being driven to continue by
the promise of cake. towards the end of the game, i becomes clear that there is in fact no cake and your efforts where in vain.
Example:
1.)
Employee 1: "I am soooo gonna get that raise man."
Employee 2: "Nah man,
the cake is a lie"
Employee 1: "Well shit...."
2.)
guy: "omgz, awesome! if i complete these 4 offers from this pop-up, i can get a free
ipod nano!!!1!"
3.)
prosecuting attorney: "we are finally going to put this person away!"
Jose Baez: "nope, the cake is a lie"
The cake is a lie
by cuvtixo on Oct 05, 2020 03:55:20
What most people online don't seem to fully understand, is that it is not just a
fictitious reward, but also a silly,
frivolous reward in the face of great risk and danger.
Example:
"Ivan told me if I broke into a Russian FSB computer, they have a Special Edition of the Urban Dictionary, with the correct definition of 'the
cake is a lie!'" "Sorry Tovarish, we can't risk the chance you found out anything valuable, you must now eat this uranium
yellowcake" "That kind of cake isn't for eating, it will poison me!" "Yes, well in your search for 'the cake is a lie',
the cake was a lie."
the cake is a lie
by Mike Grant on Oct 16, 2007 02:17:16
Roughly translates to "your promised reward is merely a fictitious motivator". Popularized by the game "Portal" (found on
Half-Life 2's "
Orange Box" game release for PC, X-Box 360, and PS3). During the game, an electronic voice encourages you to solve intricate puzzles using cake as a motivating perk. When you have "broken out" of the game's initial testing phase (from threat of death), you find
scrawls on walls of the innards of the testing center warning you that "the cake is a lie".
Example:
Employee #1: Yo, Dave, manager says we will probably get a promotion if we meet the sales expectations for this quarter.
Employee #2:
Yeah, so, don't get your hopes
up on that one, Ed.
The cake is a lie.
Employee #1: Really, aw crap.
cake is a lie
by Portal player on Jul 21, 2008 05:03:33
A substitute for "The writing is on the wall'. From the (video game) Portal. The graffiti in background levels give
clues and point out
truths including "
the cake is a lie".
Example:
Chell is promised cake and grief
counseling as her reward if she manages to complete all the test chambers. After Chell completes the final test chamber,
GLaDOS congratulates her but the promised cake is a lie.
The Cake is a Lie
by J-goat C-Mote on May 12, 2013 11:16:26
Example:
Jeffrey Bonheimer: Man, I am so glad my ex-wife decided to invite me over to her basement for cake, even though I won the custody battle over the children!
Evan Sailhamer: Jeff man, isn't it obvious?
Jeffrey Bon-whatever: Is what obvious
Easy E?
Easy Evan:
The cake is a lie man. Like, it is
blatantly obvious
the cake was a lie
by Bigguy247 on Dec 16, 2015 12:41:41
A reference from the game
Portal, all through the game you are told their's cake at the end. Once you
get there -SPOILERS- there is no cake :( so it was a lie. This became a saying amongst gamers when something doesn't go as
planed.
the cake is a lie
by WhispOfDeath on Apr 14, 2010 11:19:21
The Cake is a lie: To have a Cake you need time and money. Therefore: money + time = Cake
According to smart people,
time is money.
Therefore: 2time = Cake
According to other smart people, time goes on forever.
This indicating: time = infinity
Therefore: 2infinity = Cake
Because no person has achieved infinity, let alone 2infinity.
The Cake is not possible.
The Cake is a lie!