Politeness is Impolite

Perhaps we can imagine a form that isn't, but all extant forms are impolite. Their purpose is to bully folks into lying habitually. (Prescriptive vs. descriptive.)

"How are you"
"I'm fine"

Genuine politeness means not socially obligating someone to lie. If they can't tell you the truth, don't bring it up. Asking after someone's health is precisely the opposite of politeness. Unless, that is, you're already so close that they will volunteer that information and you don't need to ask. Almost every modern rule of etiquette is like this; the exceptions are clearly accidents or mistakes. It's hard to find evidence of rules [not like this] in the past as well. 

Humans consistently choose falseness over politeness, because humans are consistently evil. It benefits the State because lying make you weak. A people who habitually tell small lies have little resistance to telling (or being told) big lies, making them easy to control. This is necessary for the survival of weak States, who would be overwhelmed when attempting to deal with a healthy populace. 

On the plus side, States consistently enfeebling themselves means the aristocratic fraction can consistently overpower the State whenever it happens to be convenient. If they want to make you do something you can just be like, "no" and they can't do shit to stop you. Of course this will necessarily be anti-social, weaking the State and society yet further. Every chain they cast at you is one they can't cast at their rivals. Every chain you break because it's in your way is another they can't cast at anyone.