Treating people well tends to have good long-term results. There are exceptions, situations, and cases where you have to be more cautious. To put it nicely, there are some people who favor shorter-term strategies. We all should recognize there is a fraction of people lacking in awareness or empathy or ethics. Some of the folks, wittingly or unwittingly, will bring down the entire ship if you let them. Still, IMO, a wise, ethical person gives the benefit of the doubt and helps others to the extent possible, without overextending themselves. As time passes, a good strategy is to help relatively more people who (a) need the help; (b) reciprocate, to the degree they are able; (c) and let's face it, those who can help you get a foothold. The third point is based on this logic: if you are a conscientious person, it is your ethical responsibility to not be naive. You should carefully strive to use your power to help. Sometimes this means playing the game.

What I've said above leaves open all sorts of paradoxes, value judgments, and dilemmas. Such is life. I think it is useful to frame ethics as striving towards an ideal (not just a goal) despite all the complexities. I could use all the feedback you all have to offer... I have a long way to go.