If you are afraid for your reputation in ANY circle, you should NOT be in academia. Or at least you should not be a scholar. - Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Bad-mouthing is the only genuine, never faked expression of admiration.

No idea is original, there's nothing new under the sun, it's never what you do, but how it's done

"I discovered that it is much more effective to act like a nice guy and be "reasonable" if you prove willing to go beyond just verbiage. You can afford to be compassionate, lax, and courteous if, once in a while, when it is least expected of you, but completely justified, you sue someone, or savage an enemy, just to show that you can walk the walk."