Workplaces love talking about teamwork and values, but the daily reality feels different. People stay polite not because they’re close, but because work needs to move. You keep things smooth, they keep things smooth, and everyone gets to go home without a migraine. It’s less friendship and more quiet diplomacy.
There’s this unspoken deal:
“Let’s act fine so the job doesn’t fall apart.”
That’s plastic unity.
Not toxic, not saintly—just necessary.
Some call it hypocrisy, but many people are simply protecting their jobs. If you mirror someone’s attitude, they might “forget” the task you need. They might delay. They might give you the bare minimum. So you stay civil even when the vibe is off. It’s survival inside a system that rewards cooperation more than honesty.
But the real goal—at least on paper—is friendship.
That’s why workplaces run formation programs, team buildings, bonding days.
The problem is most of these feel like extra work dressed as fun. After the pictures and the speeches, the theme snaps back to work work work.
Real connection doesn’t come from the programs.
It comes from the tiny, unscheduled moments: a shared joke, a quick “you okay,” a small rescue when someone’s drowning in tasks. Those are the parts that feel real. Those are the parts that last.
Plastic unity keeps the workflow alive, but small, sincere kindness keeps the people alive. You don’t need to be best friends with everyone. You just need to stay steady, decent, and real enough that the room doesn’t feel colder because of you.
That’s the kind of unity that only real people can build.
⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ
Out this season on Bandcamp.
