I'm a 25 year old high school teacher fresh out of college. It's only been three weeks and you wouldn't believe the amount of manipulation and passive aggression I've witnessed in this short period of time. So many teachers and teachers aides are not only lazy, but manipulative and passive aggressive. They're all cagey and suspicious of even little things like small talk. After a lot of thought, I think I've realized why: They have kids/ people to care for.

I don't give a shit if I get fired, I'm young and carefree, my life is so flexible that I don't feel the need to be manipulative or an asshole to keep my job, but my co-workers have people other than themselves to think about, which is why they act like such animals at work. This general fear of losing their jobs makes them abandon rational thinking and turns them into complete assholes who would throw anyone under the bus to protect themselves from the slightest problem. This is my understanding of office politics so far. Can anyone relate to this?