> it is the ones who quickly learn to sublimate their desire for intellectually rigorous research and social betterment in favor of political skills who natural

> it is the ones who quickly learn to sublimate their desire for intellectually rigorous research and social betterment in favor of political skills who naturally rise to the gatekeeper positions. Nevermind just academia. Sadly, what you've just described neatly sums up modern work life in most organizations (companies, non-profits, open source, etc.) that I've been a part of. Startups may sometimes be an exception to this rule, but they often come with their own set of problems (frat house atmosphere, ageism, zero diversity, expectations of 80+ hour weeks, etc.).