> Good politics is just being strategic about relationships and influence in the service of good outcomes.

Yeah, no shit dude. That's exactly the part that's disgusting. Using the word "just" here feels dishonest.

I was subjected early on to someone who viewed every single interaction in every single relationship as transactional and framed every decision around the question "what's in it for me?"

It really warped my worldview for a long time and it took a ton of therapy and self-reflection to overcome. I'm not going to sacrifice my principles just to get something I want.