Promotions

In what has become a depressingly annual tradition, today they released the list of people who got promoted in our department and I am once again dismayed at who was included.  And who wasn't.  It is often people who don't deserve it - they might be useless at their job, or this might be another promotion after having already been promoted recently.  But, sadly I hate to say this again, but it mostly seems to come down to race.  Take Biostatistics (which is not my group, although I am a qualified statistician) - ever single person who got promoted was Chinese.  I'm sure this says something about the demographics of the group, although I know for a fact that not everyone in it is Chinese.  As for my group - Statistical Programming - the breakdown of promotions is something like 65% Chinese, 30% Indian, 5% Other.  Which I think is probably a fairly accurate reflection of the demographics of my group.  But most of these people have unpronounceable names and I don't know them, and those I do know have done nothing to warrant a promotion.  It bothers me, even though I know it shouldn't, because I have somewhat intentionally put myself in a position to not get promoted - not taking on direct reports, not wanting more responsibilities, not having a high profile etc.  But it's difficult to hide my frustrations and bitterness.  Which is probably why it's for the best that I'm working from home!