Caring about power yields more power. All people are a mix of all these qualities, but if some qualities help to survive/succeed in an organization, the organization will be lobsided towards these. It doesn't take evil masterminds, just bits of "worse" instincts that get amplified in the dynamics of the organization.

I find it quite apparent in academia too. Academics do care about the truth and such, but to survive in academia you have to "play the game" even when it means being a bit flexible with the truth or other such principles. Or conversely, being too rigorous with principles means you don't usually stay a (paid) academic for long.