•New public management, an emphasis on control, as well as consumerism, have grown their influence in universities. Taken too far, this kind of an influence can have destructive psychological and social outcomes on practices and institutions of good research, on academic collegiality, and on the peer review system. Yet, paradoxically, it appears fewer and fewer academics rise to the barricades to resist such developments. This paper analysis why and how do academics in favor of consumerism appear to win over academics in favor of collegiality?