A non-trivial percentage of "rock star" software engineers are not capable of behaving themselves. The causes are varied. Some have been so busy getting A's and

A non-trivial percentage of "rock star" software engineers are not capable of behaving themselves. The causes are varied. Some have been so busy getting A's and working upwards that they never formed lateral bonds with their peers. Some have something clinically wrong them. Some have been told they're right so much that they don't know how to behave when they're wrong. Some tie so much of their self worth to the problem they're solving that disagreement becomes a personal insult. Whatever the reason, the software industry repeatedly explains away debilitating personality flaws as a cute quirk or even a benefit. It reminds me of D1 football coaches defending players who behave like animals off the field. There is almost never an acceptable reason for being an asshole. It may be worth it to hire an asshole but that does not absolve that person of being an asshole. It just makes them a smart asshole.