Office politics is not optional: learn to play the game or you'll be its victim
Office politics is framed as an unavoidable force in modern workplaces, especially in competitive environments like big tech and consulting, where quiet “heads-down” work often isn’t enough for promotion or job security. Commenters debate whether learning to self-promote and navigate power structures is a necessary career skill or a corrupting rat race that selects for toxic personalities and disadvantages neurodivergent people. Many advocate a middle path: understand how influence, visibility, and reputation work so you can protect yourself and get meaningful work, while limiting how much you “play the game” or choosing lower-politics environments instead.
Reactions to the “7 Rules of Power” framing
- Many find the list (“appear powerful,” “network relentlessly,” “success excuses almost everything”) cringey or Machiavellian, seeing it as optimizing for power, not craft.
- Some defend at least the first rule: if you never communicate your impact, you’ll be outpaced by those who do.
Is office politics optional? What counts as success?
- Several argue politics is only “mandatory” if top-of-ladder career success is your primary goal.
- Others note “success” varies: money, interesting work, job security, flexibility, avoiding layoffs or death marches.
- A recurring theme: you can be happy and respected as a long‑term IC who mostly avoids the game, but that choice often trades off promotions and influence.
Politics as ever-present social dynamics
- Multiple comments: you can’t avoid politics; you can only choose to engage actively or passively.
- “Not playing” is itself a recognizable role (e.g., “reliable, apolitical cornerstone”), which still functions politically in orgs.
- Understanding politics is framed as important defensively, even if you don’t aggressively use it.
Promotion systems, FAANG culture, and “up or out”
- Mixed reports: some describe formal or de facto up‑or‑out systems at big tech; others say expectations differ by level and org.
- Promotions are often seen as driven more by perceived usefulness to decision‑makers, ambition, and reputation than pure technical merit.
- Performance metrics, OKRs, and rating distributions are criticized as offloading real management and encouraging game-playing.
Ethics, burnout, and opting out
- Strong strain of rejection: politics described as “rat race,” “community cancer,” or dominated by toxic, power‑seeking personalities.
- Several people chose freelancing, small companies, “grey collar”/family businesses, or government work to escape high-drama environments.
- Stress, medication, and health impacts are discussed, though causes are debated and sometimes unclear.
Fairness, identity, and neurodivergence
- Some see identity-based networks (gender, race, sexuality) as powerful political structures; others feel excluded or argue majority status has its own advantages.
- Office politics is described as disadvantaging many neurodivergent people, who may struggle with unwritten social rules.
- A minority argue certain neurodivergent folks can “learn the mechanics” and compete effectively.