While I don't doubt the author's employer did the right thing – to fire the individual – I think the subsequent logic (e.g. guard against "jerks" at all costs!)

While I don't doubt the author's employer did the right thing – to fire the individual – I think the subsequent logic (e.g. guard against "jerks" at all costs!) is a dangerous train of thought, one which is more likely to pigeon-hole human beings. In reality, no person is "simply a jerk". Each of us sits somewhere on a spectrum of intolerance towards others for one reason or another. It's healthy to learn how to work with people of all stripes – even individuals who can, at times, be abrasive.