Self-Aggrandizers

I always thought working for one of Rupert Murdoch's companies was excellent training in navigating office politics, but now I am not so sure. I feel naive for believing that academics were too guileless for political machinations. That they may be, but even inept maneuvering can be extremely irritating. I always thought I was zen enough not to be bothered by rookie politicking, but not any more. Academia seems to be teeming with self-aggrandizing mediocrities and they can be infuriating to be around. As much as I like to think that I am skilled enough to handle them, it must be acknowledged that dealing with them requires emotional energy. Fortunately, tolerance for bad behavior within academia is rapidly shrinking. People are realizing that intelligence is not compensation enough for obnoxiousness. Even if obnoxiousness stems from insecurity, as is often the case, your insecurity is not other people's problem.