... The news cycle seems to be dominated by discussion of politics. Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, the talk of politics is inescapable and is probably going to lead to you being displeased with your fellow man. Luckily, we work in IT, so we can avoid politics.
BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA! ...
I've actually never worked in close proximity with someone who was extreme or overbearing with their politics. The better IT organizations tend to "weed out" certain personality types who disrupt the productivity of the team. Based on workplace horror stories I've heard from others, the sales, marketing, and financial industries are probably where you would encounter it most. Perhaps that partially explains the personality rift between IT and the former areas.
I think you've been very lucky, Eric; as I see it, the typical IT organisation has lots of political animals (after all, IT people are human, despite rumours to the contrary). I've had to work in close proximity with IT people who played politics the hard way, extremist and trying to be overbearing, I've also run into the variety that omits being overbearing and plays its plays tricks behing the scenes, and suspect that they do more harm than the overbearing ones because they are less likely to be spotted and stopped by senior management. All those extremist IT or CS politicians, whether overbearing or not, are poisonous.