Is it wrong for a server at a restaurant to be exuberantly friendly, or even a little flirtatious, in the hope of receiving a bigger tip?  The December after I got my license, when my father had me drive around Orange County dropping off gift baskets at dozens of medical offices, not because he was overflowing with Christmas spirit, but in the hope that those offices would refer some patients to his practice in the year to come… was that wrong?  Or, closer to home: what about the teacher who, while inwardly grinding her teeth in frustration at a student’s obtuseness, remains outwardly cheerful and encour­aging?  Doesn’t a little inauthenticity actually make for a better experience at a restaurant, or at the office, or at school?  And what’s the alternative?  Like, you can’t expect that at a workplace of any significant size everyone is going to like one another, but you’ve got serious dysfunction if colleagues are treating each other with hostility.  Over the years, I’ve had many co‑workers I thought were genuinely awesome people, but I’ve also had some that I’ve kind of despised.  I don’t think the people in that latter group knew how I really felt about them, since I have tried to be friendly or at least civil to everyone I’ve worked with.  If they did know, they didn’t indicate it to me, which makes the same point via a different route. 

– review of Ex Machina (has spoilers)