Politeness is a defence mechanism. It’s a way of creating social boundaries and when two people are polite to each other there’s a mutual respect for one another’s boundaries.

Never feel guilty about being polite and then making a quick exit when someone is trying to transgress your boundaries. The alternative, confrontation, does not offer you much to gain but risks an embarrassing blow-up or even worse.

Remember: it’s never your responsibility to socialize other people (unless they’re literally your own young children).