As I met people who had been in politics for decades, I came to realize how they viewed the world differently from the average person. Several of them strongly believed that the end justified the means, but more than anything, they understood the rules of the game. They understood exactly what rising up in politics entailed and believed that if they didn't play the game the way it needed to be played, then someone else would and that person would win. One of the most important things I learnt wasn't about caste, religion or money, though. It was about respect, and sometimes, about sycophancy.