Is life too short to be polite?

Well no, of course not. But on more than one occasion, to be honest too many to mention, I have been criticised for being rude and/or impolite to people by someone close to me. I take issue with this as I consider myself to be a very polite person. Where I get pulled is when I'm talking to someone I do not like. I can come across as short and abrupt. But aren't short and abrupt just qualities of a personality and in no way a measure of politeness?

Here's the deal. I cannot abide talking to people I do not like. In a professional environment we all have to do it. But when it comes to my own time I choose who I spend my time with for a reason i.e. I like them. I see no benefit whatsoever spending time with people who get your goat. Is it not best for all concerned to just finish off whatever banal and pointless ramblings you're having as soon as possible and move on? On this, I believe life is too short.

I 'rate' my likeness of people on whether or not I would be bothered if they died in a car accident the following day (:-O). If I wouldn't be bothered then why am I talking to them? This sounds like a terrible thing to say, and it is, but lots of us think along these lines. Kinda. When you hear of someone who you know who has just died and yet within 5 minutes of finding out of their untimely death you're back to work without a care in the world isn't it the same? In my eyes they are pretty much the same thing, it just seems to me that mines been thought out. A Demonstration of efficiency?

If someone had the balls to stop me mid-sentence and say 'Look pal, this really isn't as interesting as you think it is, would it be okay if I jump ship and go back to talking to my mates?' I would, without a word of a lie, hold out my hand in respect. In fact the chances are from that moment we'd get on royally with a new found respect and appreciation for the other persons honestly.

So can't we just cut all the pleasantries and be honest? Each year literally millions of Christmas and Birthday cards are sent from people who don't want to send them to people who don't want to receive them. What is this madness?

In the end we are all hypocrites. We are two-faced liars who don't have the guts to be honest. At least I'm trying to be better than that.

Who's impolite now?