I keep to myself at work and I think that's a big part of the problem. I don't care most of the time, but recently I got a major dressing down in front of everyone by the supervisor over something I didn't even know was my responsibility. One of the other workers just decided she wasn't going to do her job for three days, and she got a minor telling off. But she's the supervisor's little buddy, sits with her during break and so forth. I sit by myself and don't speak to the rest of them, so when it's me in the firing line I really cop it.
It would never make me want to be a suck up though. It might not be very smart of me, but I'll still keep to myself and be the way I am. It only bothers me at the moment because I was so effing mad about the whole thing.
If your perception of this is correct, then you're surrounded by assholes.
I don't know if that's a cultural thing or whatever, but where I'm from - people don't get treated like shit unless there's some reason for it.
One reason, unfortunately, is if you don't protest and if you don't stand up for yourself - some people are going to exploit that, to protect themselves.
Not that I've seen too much of that personally, because I always go for places of work where the individual worker is respected, and the "bottom line" isn't the entire object of focus.
I'm working for the public today, and there's no way that kind of thing would be accepted here. If it is, then I've certainly never been aware of it. If it happened in my group, I would deal with it immediately, because I find such things way too uncomfortable to witness.
I'm not sure if I'm just oblivious to it, but I never notice such things unless it happens in my presence. So it might be more widespread than I realise. I don't have any taste for anything but tangible actual problems, and the only thing I care about is solving them as quickly as possible - so I can go home and enjoy myself. I don't really give a shit about assigning blame or covering my ass if I mess up. That doesn't help when finding a good solution, so I simply dismiss it entirely - and if I mess up, I just acknowledge it and I've had nothing but good experience with that approach.
I do see people trying to hide such things all day long, but I don't target them or go out of my way to call them out. If they're afraid of being up front about it, I don't see the need to make them uncomfortable. The only thing I'm not going to accept is the blame for something I didn't do - but I've never had to do that, so I can't complain.
I'm fully aware that there's this huge "strategy game" going on "behind the scenes", but I never ever participate - and that's likely why I'm not consciously aware of the consequences.
People should do what they feel is right, but I can highly recommend not playing a game. However, I should say that I have few ambitions in terms of a career. I don't strive for a higher position, and I don't care about being wealthy - as long as I can cover my expenses and live within my comfort zone. So, I don't HAVE to play any kind of game to achieve a higher position.
I make sure that I can survive even if I'm fired, because I don't want to depend on having a job - precisely because it would compromise my ability to be myself "all the way". But that's easier when you're single - and we all know women can create a ton of fictitious needs