I forget where, but there's an actual psychological research outcome which says - we're kinder to strangers.
As for family, we're sure kind but we're frank, open, honest and unafraid of a retaliation or revenge of too.
This usage of "family" metaphor is a BIG and dishonest abuse of the concept IMHO.
It's work, it might be boring, tiring, has to be done with utmost perfection, precision and professionalism with professional coordination of others possibly, in a group of people.
It is a thing in its own right and needs no metaphors.
> I’m polite and respectful to most strangers I meet. Just like I am to many of my colleagues, who are effectively strangers to me.
Well, I'm extremely happy to have a job where colleagues help each other out. Put less weight on a colleague who just went through something tough such as a long term break up or loss of a loved one by taking over tasks of her, letting someone who called ill take their time to get better instead of harassing them. Simple things which are common sense. Simple things you also do for your loved ones.
Not every employer is like this, heck not every team(manager) is like this (teams in same company differing).
There's a simple word for the opposite, a word I'm not a fan of, but it is there: toxic. Or: short-term benefits instead of long-term benefits. Or, my favorite: dumb egoism instead of smart egoism. Because, in the end, the family way is just that. A smart version of egoism, focused on long-term survival.
The title of OP, seems someone who's worn down by the short-term egoism they experienced. Except, when reading the article, its not like that (it could've been). I know from myself, with my autism, I don't like certain team activities. But that does not mean I e.g. don't like (the) people. Its just that sometimes I prefer to be (left) alone. I made that very clear when I joined, and I've been open about my autism. My family knows this, too. I had to be alone for a while yesterday during a wedding. No problem.
It’s an empty and hollow metaphor when your colleagues are nothing actually like family.
I’m polite and respectful to most strangers I meet. Just like I am to many of my colleagues, who are effectively strangers to me.