I'm not sure I would mind the impersonal firing. Let's get down to business, tell me what I need to know, how much money I get, when do I get it, where do I bring the computer.

What I assume would bother me more is the worrying or fake compassion for me. We were not a family, we were "friends" only by convenience, the company didn't actually have an important mission other than making money and I know it. If I was just fired by you, pretending to feel bad (or even actually feeling bad) for me doesn't help me. I am already thinking about my next steps: I need to inform my wife, rethink my finances, and likely start looking for a new job.

Disclaimer: I was never fired yet, so of course I might be full of shot. And how one reacts also probably depends on which phase of your life you are in and how easily you think you get another job.

Exactly this drives a lot, for larger terminations they may even script or pre tape things to insure as little said as possible