I can understand why robert and ascan want to think good of alex. They see him as bullied and most of his "mistakes" are caused by that. But they are seeing what they want to see. I'd love to support alex even though he is a selfish brat, but he is an incompetant selfish brat.
He's not incompetent, and that's why WP still exists. He's just cunning enough to stop pissing people off when it's about to cause him some serious damage. In his blindness he outlasts both the people who intend to change/help him and the people who intend to cause him harm.
It is possible to coexist with alex, but you largely cannot trust him, and you shouldnt build a relationship with him that relies on trust, because he is likely to use you.
It depends on what your goals are. If your goals contradict his, and he is in a position of power, then it is not possible to co-exist with him. Not for me anyway - it's possible that someone else might be better at manipulating him. But believe me, I tried. And it turned out to be a major waste of energy, because though I could change things, and get my way, it was to such a small degree, and the changes were happening so slowly, that the energy would be better spent elsewhere. I never trusted him, and knew what I was walking into, and didn't really give a damn if he "used" me because I don't believe that there's anything unusual or wrong about being used (everyone uses anyone they interact with).
