Diplomacy is not an end in itself if it does not advance the interests of the nation.
Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.
What's terrible is to pretend that second-rate is first-rate. To pretend that you don't need love when you do; or you like your work when you know quite well you're capable of better.
The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum.