There is nothing wrong with aiming for maximum efficiency or working like a team, under the condition that you do it with an open hand to other players in my opinion.
I personally enjoy fighting against and working together with other realms - really achieving something in game-terms - much more than the internal politics side of the game. Even though it can be very enjoyable, and really you need to have internal conflicts up to a certain level to keep things interesting at all times, it just too often leads to a bad atmosphere that cripples your realm. Then I rather work together closely with everyone in my realm and enjoy the occasional brawl amongst our own, all in good fun. That is, as far as I'm concerned, the perfect realm.
