I've worked as a software engineer in a lot of industries and I think advertising/marketing and finance are full of people like this. But in the end, it sucks to live like this always paranoid and watching your back.

When I see someone trying to make a power move, I stay as far away from them as possible. These people could only sustain that life with alcohol, smoking and just whatever else. I remember my boss at a marketing company would take shots early in the morning and our office was full of hard alcohol everywhere that you would think you were at a bar. Is the stress worth it in the end? You reap what you sow...trying to make a quick buck is never worth it.