In many US corporations, "professional" is used to define behavour. proessional behaviour is unemotional.. there have been studies about women, who find there work life, so much more rewarding than home life, since at work, they are un emotional.
feeling-- joy, happiness, anger, sadness, grief,-- all take energy. Work doesn't require this. at work, if some one is unable to do a job, you let them go.. no anger, no sadness, just professional. How simple.
At home, what do you do with an aging parent, or a chronicly sick child? You can't cut them loose!
at times, the "professionalism" of the office is callousness.
i agree that i don't want people i buy services from to be rude, but, the other extreme is a "canned smile" and empty phrases.. which is, in some ways, just as unpleasant.
i some times think one of the reasons lawyers are so hated, is they are masters at this sort of professionalism-- they know all the facts, but remain detached. Being detached lets them do their job, but for the client, it sometimes comes across as cold, hard heartedness.. (and gee whiz, is that just the reputation lawyers have!)
there is a natural tendency for humans to share emotions as way to become close (it functions as our mutual grooming) when the process is one way-- it causes problems.
