"I will only associate with people with favorable..."
It's alot easier said than done. If you're TOO choosy, you become a snob (and lonely, I'm a cynic). It's hard to be "helpful but not convenient" without becoming a hard-nosed SOB (what am I saying?...I already am one of those).
It's a hard balance to find, but it has to be when you're dealing with "office politics".