Sometime in your mid-30s you stop caring what "everyone else" thinks and work to build a life that makes you happy. For many of us, it's going through the motions at work and spending our real energy on friends and family. I actually feel bad for my colleagues who put in maximum effort and stay late every day.

I'm not sure how the world got so fucked up where we expect people making poor wages to behave "better" than multi billion dollar businesses.

The person making everyone else look bad and who is receiving no incentives for doing so likely isn't getting the sort of respect you are envisioning.

i know this is sounds like a snarky and low-effort response, but it is not intentional. it's just the way things are, and there isn't really a diplomatic way of saying it.

I can name several dozen colleagues I've worked for over the years who will vouch for me and help me get a job if I should ever need it and that does pay the bills.

People who say things like the above quote, can't.

sure, they can get you a job, but it will be a horizontal move for you if you are currently employed, and certainly no step up from your prior employment if you're suddenly unemployed.

consider that for many young people outside of the software and finance worlds, this is precisely the situation. all the good reputation in the world doesn't much matter if it doesn't get you any further than where you are.

Horizontal moves are acceptable and sometimes even optimal.

“We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise.

We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.

We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.”

-CS Lewis

If you want those, excel as moral human being overall and you will receive plenty. Being the best paper-pusher, bullshitter or excel in office politics won't give you any of those.