I'm also a sysadmin who unfortunately found that attitude familiar. Some IT groups really do create these toxic environments where it's common to make fun of th

I'm also a sysadmin who unfortunately found that attitude familiar. Some IT groups really do create these toxic environments where it's common to make fun of the people they serve. I certainly don't expect IT groups to bend over backward for every request or be polite in the face of real abuse, but the toxic shit that is said at the water cooler is never that. It's literally insulting people's intelligence or taking pleasure in people's pain, especially if it involves exercising their power over users.