In answer to your thread question, Bacon - I care to an extent, but life has taught me that it only matters if I make it matter - especially at work. And you can't always control it.
I rationalise it by saying we are all thrown together randomly at work, no choice but to get on with people.
In psycho-jargon it's called "Circle of Influence versus Circle of Concern". iow, there are things I may be concerned about, but cannot fix, and within that wider circle is a smaller circle that I can influence - my behaviour, my thoughts and how I choose to perceive others. Also another technique is to rationalise the fact that people don't come to work deliberately to hate each other - shit happens, they may have their own demons, and somehow we may get caught up in that stuff even if we have had diddly-squat to do with it !! Separate the stories going on inside your head, with reality. I ask myself:
Why would it be that they have taken a dislike to me? probably the answer is there is no reason - so time to move way from the thought.
I have felt the sharp vibes in my back of randoms "not liking me" - to them I have held up two very satisfying 'virtual fingers' in their general direction (in my head).
I am super-nice when dealing with them (a great piss-em-off tactic!) and avoid them when choosing people to give End-of Year feedback (I won't give them the satisfaction of being asked to evaluate me).
I'd say as long as you are respectful, behave decent and don't stab people in the back to progress, I wouldn't give a Flying Four-X.
The root cause IME is (#1 being the most common) -
- they feels threatened because you do a better job than them;
- they have personal issues, not related to work, but need someone to take it out on;
- they are just unpleasant people and generally exude negative vibes;
- your personalities don't mesh (they just aren't your type of person and you aren't their's)