The formality of politeness versus the apathy of not caring.

Recently, I've been handed situations which have required me to either lay down my sword and shield, letting principles become vague words inside my head, or standing up for what I mean is right and become an object of irritation and hate.

Unfortunatly, given the situation which in this case is work-related, I've been forced to choose the first option, continuously over and over again.

My question is - what is the result of suppressing "the right choise" for too long?

I've done some social analysis concerning petty fights, where the conflicting parts never quite know how to get the ends to meet. Beating around the bush for hours, leaving tears for no reason.

Instead of getting to an agreement, we keep on focusing on tearing eachother down until one of us is so torn apart, we surrender, admiting defeat on the terms of a lesson, not an agreement.

A conflict ending in a lesson learned instead of an agreement divides the parts instead of bringing them together. Making an alpha and a sheep.

As soon as I step out of that uniform, I'm no longer a sheep. It's my turn to become the alpha.

In a community where people are required to cooperate, why do we feel the urge to rise above eachother?

This subject is too big for one post, so I will return to this subject later on.

...probably the next time I've encountered a situation as mentioned above.