When politeness is used to show up other people, it is reclassified as rudeness. Thus it is technically impossible to be too polite.
Judith MartinFairness does not consist so much of everybody's doing the same thing, but of everybody's being willing to do something that others don't want to do.
Judith MartinTo sacrifice the principles of manners, which require compassion and respect, and bat people over the head with their ignorance of etiquette rules they cannot be expected to know is both bad manners and poor etiquette. That social climbers and twits have misused etiquette throughout history should not be used as an argument for doing away with it.
Judith MartinMeanwhile, the empty forms of social behavior survive inappropriately in business situations. We all know that when a business sends its customers 'friendly reminders,' it really means business.
Judith Martin