Yes, but derisively referring any interaction with another human at work as “office politics” is the problem.

It can turn into office politics fast. Maybe you say the wrong thing and now you and your coworker have an awkward tension.

IMO it's almost never worth trying to make friends with your coworkers. Be nice, be helpful, and do a good job but keep your friends and work life separate.

Some of my best friends started as work colleagues. Very bonding working really hard with people you respect on problems you’re passionate about.

Not all of us are lucky enough to be paid to do things we are passionate about.

In my experience most close friends vent about their jobs to each other. Something that I very rarely feel comfortable doing with coworkers. I think I've met about 2 coworkers in my whole career who I felt that level of comfort with.

The other interactions like talking about your weekend aren't exacty something to comment on.

Also why it is a problem ?

Where is the line for you? Is a meeting with a sales team “office politics”? What about a meeting with software developers?

The problem is that there’s no reasonable definition of “office politics” that frames it as a positive thing. You’re approaching every interaction negatively as something you can win/lose.

Any interaction with another human is politics.

Oh, dear, I hope that was ironic?

There are so many interactions at work outside of politics, which I would define as the advancement of your personal agenda before that of the organization and of anybody else.

I have such rich interactions with my colleagues. Sometimes we work together on a project. Sometimes it's purely social, like the first few minutes of a meeting with someone I haven't talked to in a long time. Sometimes they need my support or I need theirs. And sometimes (rarely) it's about having an uncomfortable conversation because something didn't go well. But none of these is about politics. I love where I work, in big parts because of the lack of politics.

(Edit: Typo)