Brands writes: "In politics that personal connection is the most potent identifier of all." It reminds me of a quote from a book on Roman history I read years ago. It went something like "Caesar Augustus (Octavian) could make a friend by the way he told someone no. Tiberius could make an enemy by the way he told someone yes." As a retired professor (albeit not in Brands' league - an understatement), I can say this is true in academia, too. A colleague of mine once said: "The most important thing in academia is how you get along with your colleagues. When someone doesn't get tenure or if on a temporary contract, doesn't get his/her contract renewed, it's normally because s/he rubbed his/her colleagues the wrong way."
Brands writes: "In politics that personal connection is the most potent identifier of all." It reminds me of a quote from a book on Roman history I read years ago. It went something like "Caesar Augustus (Octavian) could make a friend by the way he told someone no. Tiberius could make an enemy by the way he told someone yes." As a retired professor (albeit not in Brands' league - an understatement), I can say this is true in academia, too. A colleague of mine once said: "The most important thing in academia is how you get along with your colleagues. When someone doesn't get tenure or if on a temporary contract, doesn't get his/her contract renewed, it's normally because s/he rubbed his/her colleagues the wrong way."
Excellent article!