#1 is good advice to not opt out:

Pfeffer and Bernstein agree the first step to winning at office politics is to stop thinking that the world is fair and that you are somehow above the fray.

If you're going to participate, do it right.

Read Eric's article:

http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/07/winning-at-office-politics/

This is perfect. I tell my students this story...in a prior job, I worked my guts out. It didn't matter. A friend of mine did the opposite. He was an affable guy, always smiling and carrying around papers. He said, "Listen, Casey--you're doing this wrong." He proceeded to tell me that he always looked like he was doing something, when in fact he was carrying around papers. He detailed the amount of time he spent going back and forth to the copy machine, talking to our team at cubes, going in and out of the bathroom...and he always got recognized... "You do nothing!" I protested. "Yeah, but that's not what they see..." This is a lesson I struggle with to this day. He was right, though, and so's Eric again...And Dilbert... and everyone but me;)

There was a plot on Seinfeld like this, too.

George Costanza walked around his workplace carrying a folder and looking angry.

Everyone thought he was busy so no one bothered him.

Remember the episode where Kramer walked around the company with a briefcase, even though he wasn't working there...at the end, when he was discovered, someone asked what was in the briefcase, and he said, "crackers." 

Yes! Brilliant!! Kramer never knew when he was going to be hungry for crackers...

I love the Dilbert atop this page:

"Decisions are made by people who have time, not people who have talent."

"Why are talented people so busy?"

"They're fixing the problems made by people who have time."

Also useful from Eric Barker is scientific research on how to kiss ass like a pro:

http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/04/what-are-the-7-ways-to-effectively-kiss-ass-w/