He was regarded merely as an eccentric employee of indifferent merit, and his post of deputy chief clerk was the highest he would ever reach. Well aware of this, he made it a rule never to show any zeal, except in special circumstances. It is true that in these cases his zeal was clothed with a spirit of vengeance directed against the whole human race–this being his second favourite occupation. Petitbidois would have liked to hold the reins of power. This being beyond his sphere, he utilized the small driblets of authority which came his way for the purpose of casting ridicule upon established law and order, by making it act as a sort of unintelligent and, if possible, malicious Providence. 'The world is an idiot place anyway, ' he would say, 'so why worry? Life is just a lottery. Let us leave the decision to chance. .Gabriel Chevallier
About This Quote
Petitbidois was a bureaucrat and a psychopath. He was so proud of himself and his position that he could not stand the thought of anyone else rising in the ranks and surpassing him. The more authority he had, the more he abused it. No one in the office liked him and no one respected him.
His work was considered to be of no use whatsoever, but he kept rising in the ranks because he knew how to play the political game very well. In other words, he knew how to get people to like him even when they didn't.
Source: Clochemerle
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