A propos social software and social networks, I am pondering how some people can attain a kind of "negative node" position in a network. They appear to achieve this by blocking progress, engaging in political sniping and keeping "knowledge" very much to themselves. Some corporate cultures positively seem to breed these types: at the moment I'm wondering if merged companies are particularly prone to these attitudes - loyalty to oneself in the face of a lack of job security and continuity, as well as substantial loyalty to previous network connections, turning in and creating this negative exchange.