Absolutely, nothing wrong with diplomacy or decorum.
There is something wrong with constant -- forgive the lack of decorum -- bullshit. That is a problem which I think is pervasive after "a certain point in your career". That is, bullshit masquerading as diplomacy.
All of our casual interactions are based on bullshit and cultural expectations. For example, when someone asks how you are doing, you’re not expected to say anything meaningful in response.
If anything about the interview was honest, when the interviewer asked you “why do you want this job?”, the answer would usually either be.
- “I’m passionate about paying my mortgage” or
- “The stingy assholes at my current company won’t pay me market rate and I want more money”
But instead we all give some banal answer about “new challenges” and “being excited about the technology/company’s mission” even it is just another software as a service CRUD app.
There is something wrong with constant -- forgive the lack of decorum -- bullshit. That is a problem which I think is pervasive after "a certain point in your career". That is, bullshit masquerading as diplomacy.