Hearing this might be considered a radical statement, but upon careful reflection, it's indeed the case.

When mingling with capable people, at most they look down on you, but they won't mess with you.
But when you're with a bunch of inferior people, no matter how tactful you are, they will still scheme against you, even go to great lengths to undermine you.
It's better to endure a cold shoulder from a master than to entangle with trash.
This reminds me of an ancient saying: "The tall tree in the forest is doomed to be broken by the wind," but what if the tree is in a forest? Could it instead blend in and rely on each other?