[dnautics]

>I think many of the best scientists have been nerds, and many smart nerds really don't see the utility in playing the political tenure game.

I think this is 75% of the "problem". It gets worse because the smart nerds who do like to play the political game are often so solipsistic and selfish that they are really spectacularly atrocious managers, many of whom take a scorched earth attitude to solving their scientific problems. This becomes a vicious cycle as that becomes the percieved way to act within the culture.