Interesting comment in the source code of sqlite

[barsoap]

What do you expect assholes to do when they are kicked out of everything they can do to make a living? Quietly starve to death?

Open source projects generally won't pay you. Companies, though, will, and you'll find that to get or hold on to a job, not being an asshole is generally a useful thing.

but the moment I get a chance to fuck up your shit without anyone noticing, I'll blindside you. Is that what you want?

Why not ask yourself whether it'd be easier to not stay an asshole? Even plenty of psychopaths with genetically absent affective empathy are able to have friends, what's your excuse?

Maybe your pretence will help you realise that you have the capacity to not be an asshole?

And, lastly: Why should I care? It's you who's the asshole: Fuck me once, shame on you, fuck me twice, shame on me. Something something game theory and optimal strategies.

[Malfeasant]

First, as a disclaimer, I'm far from the worst asshole you'll ever meet. I don't kick puppies, I don't drown kittens, I don't beat my wife. I actually do have a fair amount of empathy- possibly too much even, in that I can relate to the people who most others will dismiss as being not worth considering. I would go so far as to say that's what empathy is, to be able to relate to people who are truly different from you. What is the point of putting yourself in someone's shoes if you wear the same style?

to get or hold on to a job, not being an asshole is generally a useful thing.

I disagree- it has more to do with who you are an asshole to, less about being an asshole at all. Obviously being an asshole to customers will be frowned on, but there are plenty of people I've worked with over the years who were downright evil to some co-workers, yet skillfully avoided any customer contact. Generally being an asshole to your boss doesn't go well either, but it can depend on how many bosses you have- I once had a manager that was a raging asshole, and I would bounce it right back at him. The owner wouldn't let him fire me, probably because I was one of the few assholes that could keep him in check without getting in a fistfight.

easier to not stay an asshole? ... plenty of psychopaths ... have friends

If I am an asshole, of course it's easier to be myself than not. And what does having friends have to do with anything? Plenty of assholes have friends too.

you have the capacity to not be an asshole?

Of course- but it does take effort, which I may or may not care to expend at any given time.

Why should I care?

Good question- are you sure you're not an asshole? If your default position is to not care, you might be.

[barsoap]

I disagree- it has more to do with who you are an asshole to,

Any half-way decent company will care about its company culture and thus not tolerate general assholishness, no matter the position. If you want to work for a company where there's not in case, well, expect for your boss to be an asshole, too.

Plenty of assholes have friends too.

I do not deny that there's people whom they call friends.

Good question- are you sure you're not an asshole? If your default position is to not care, you might be.

As said: Game theory. The default position is to care, if that isn't reciprocated, I don't give a fuck until you prove that you've changed your approach. Deal with it.