I've been in the company of really smart (and likable!) Heretics and they tend to go out not with a bang but with a whimper. It's sad to watch.
They may be even be right but their persistent negativity and challenging of the status quo (even in minor matters) ends up wearing people down. Then eyes start rolling when they talk and their rants are met with sighs rather than attention or acknowledgment. Then they start getting left out of meetings and email conversations as it is easier to get things done without them no matter how smart they are.
All of this feeds the Heretic's perception of being the only sane person in the asylum turning them even more cynical and negative.
Maybe I hang out with too many cynical people, but the Heretics I've run into have usually been pretty popular with coworkers, at least if the Heretic is also a reasonably intelligent and sociable person (rather than the muttering-darkly-in-the-corner variety). Even a decent number of people who don't themselves have much interest attacking their boss / stupid corporate policies / etc., sometimes like to watch on the sidelines while someone else does, at least if they can avoid entanglement in the drama. But I guess most people I know are sort of default-cynical about organizations, policies, and management, so there's a default-positivity about someone who's spending their time railing against it, even if you think their energies are misguided/futile.
Though I guess it does get more problematic if they start attacking their coworkers as sheep/sellouts/etc. The popularity is easier to maintain if they stick to attacking management/bosses/policies and treat their coworkers as being on the same side.
> Maybe I hang out with too many cynical people, but the Heretics I've run into have usually been pretty popular with coworkers, at least if the Heretic is also a reasonably intelligent and sociable person (rather than the muttering-darkly-in-the-corner variety).
Sadly for the Heretic, that won't help them when the boss fires them. It makes for nice post-"layoff" lunches, though.
"Then they start getting left out of meetings and email conversations as it is easier to get things done without them no matter how smart they are."
At this point it's the management fault for not doing (having done) something about it. Firing the person, fixing the status quo or maybe empowering them to fix it.
And yeah, I'm aware I might now sound like the Heretic themselves :)
They may be even be right but their persistent negativity and challenging of the status quo (even in minor matters) ends up wearing people down. Then eyes start rolling when they talk and their rants are met with sighs rather than attention or acknowledgment. Then they start getting left out of meetings and email conversations as it is easier to get things done without them no matter how smart they are.
All of this feeds the Heretic's perception of being the only sane person in the asylum turning them even more cynical and negative.