A less noble way to say it is to retire due to the typical company political bullshit.

I am noticing one thing as I tour the new “Death Star” (job). I can instantly recognize the politics for what they are. I see the posturing as managers try to build their empires. Other people spend more time trying to avoid work than just doing it. There are people all along the scale of caring—or not caring—about what they do.

The senior executives are giving the same old lip service as the other places I have worked.  The higher you are in the executive ranks the more you can abuse people or expect people to kiss your ass.  The higher you are in the organization the more empire building expands and less real work gets done. 

Don’t get me wrong, there are some really good senior executives.  But like every company many of them have turned to the dark side for their own gains.

And then there’s the game.  The game of work.  Being close to retirement you can see the game for what it is. It’s pretty sick to see how work culture has evolved.  More and more I find people who just don’t care about what they are working on.

This is where the bonus for being on the FIRE path comes in: FU money.  Totally real.  The Youtube Links below will explain FU money – listener beware – offensive language 

Traditional John Goodman link  The Gambler (2014) – F*** You Scene (7/10) | Movieclips

Nerdy FI JL Collins link The Position of Fuck You by jlcollinsnh

A “FU money” person has the ability to take only so much crap before they tell people what they think without using the proper work filter.  FU people who are doing good work because they want to, not just for the money.  They are the ones with a few years left but will walk in a heartbeat if they get too discouraged.

But drowning in politics frankly sucks.  I can see a point where it can. Just. Wear. You. Down.  It will cause a person to retire. They have enough money, they enjoy their job, but the game is just tiring.  When you have to play the game with your manager or with other departments it is crushing when you know you don’t need to. 

Watching other people that are posturing and not doing any value-add work makes you want to leave.   Their souls are slowly being crushed.  The light is out in their eyes.     

Even watching the game play out with regards to other people is tiring.  Because you recognize the game for what it is. It is tough to watch. even with your FU force generator up.   It may not affect me personally but I don’t like watching it as others get beaten down by it and are covered in proverbial political crap.

You can only stay upwind so long before it stinks. Eventually you start to feel like you are going to snap and to take it out on deserving parties.

So I can see the politics pushing people out.  Not me yet in my new role but it will come. How long does it typically take me to reach the breaking point? My last job is a good example of how long it takes when I need the money.

I worked at my last job for 7 ½ years.  I did great work for 2 years, did good enough work for 2 years, “skated” to get by doing the bare minimum for 2 years, and really didn’t give a crap for the last 1 ½ years.  

I got tired of trying to fix the same old problems that were not going to get fixed.  I got tired of working in the “back” office where we are a service department which means you are an after thought.  I got tired of playing the game.  

Somewhere is the 4^th year it really became apparent I had lost the drive.  It didn’t help that Covid lockdowns started that year and I basically ducked for cover for 2 years.

So somewhere in the 6^th year I started pushing back on company politics.  The longer it went the more I pushed. Maybe because I was close to FIRE. Or maybe I just didn’t care what happened anymore. I was just fed up with the game.  It ended. 

They saw me stop playing their game. It was ok to keep me around during the skating years as I was still going along with the politics.  But when I was no longer playing the game, and no longer pretending, it was time for me to go. 

It was not my choice but I was close to leaving because I couldn’t really play games for much longer.

There is a difference with a new job.  You can see the bullshit.  Same crap, different pile – favorite expression of mine.   For a while it’s easier to take.  Knowing I have a 12 to 24 month timeline the politics don’t really matter. They will not wear me down in that short of a period. 

It’s actually a little interesting to watch politics at times.   I can watch it like an out of body Jedi experience.  And I can do what is right.  

Because I am the new Director I will get roughly a 12 month pass before people even notice I am not playing along the company lines.  As long as I move the ball a bit forward, like a dung beetle, I will be fine.  And because the last manager before me screwed things up it won’t be hard to move the ball. 

 I didn’t get to my senior manager positions without knowing how to play the game. There are times I forget my retirement timeline and I easily slip back into the politics game out of habit.  When I forget my timeline the normal stress creeps in.  I have to consciously sit back and remind myself I’m not here for a long time and of my FU status. Then the stress slides off.    

Work politics are okay for now. Same crap, different pile. I’ll just stay upwind until I can’t take it anymore.

I will not miss the game.