OP
OP
MattHB
Proud Daddy
- Location
- Deepest darkest Dorset
I rest my case
Youngsters today....
- Thread starter MattHB
- Start date
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vernon
Harder than Ronnie Pickering
- Location
- Meanwood, Leeds
I don't know what the fuss is all about. The words are mere tokens used to connect folk. Students of sociolinguistics will recognise the use of sir, madam as words used in the past when social class divisions were more marked and there was an underlying aspiration for all for class elevation and lifestyle betterment which included modified speech patterns and vocabulary to gain acceptance. The social mores of the middle and upper classes were the driving forces of of the tokenized greetings.
It's not manners, it's not impoliteness it is the the social structures being redefined with youngsters no longer being in thrall of their 'superiors' as there's little to support any aspiration for them climbing up through the strata to higher social classes. Life's moved on, society's moved on and the complainants are too obsessed with their self defined status to recognise that they need to adopt their attitudes to cope with the change.
You know what I mean pet?
It's not manners, it's not impoliteness it is the the social structures being redefined with youngsters no longer being in thrall of their 'superiors' as there's little to support any aspiration for them climbing up through the strata to higher social classes. Life's moved on, society's moved on and the complainants are too obsessed with their self defined status to recognise that they need to adopt their attitudes to cope with the change.
You know what I mean pet?
Cletus Van Damme
Previously known as Cheesney Hawks
- Location
- Out in the sticks...
I only know of one person that still uses the word Sir. He is a guy whom I would guess is around 60 and works in a filling station. Lovely bloke and so polite, compared to the fat miserable young chav woman that works also there he is like a breath of fresh air. The chav makes it so obvious that she hates her job. It felt weird at first when he called me Sir to be honest, as even though I am 43 I feel that I am too young to remember when this was common place. I would be quite happy if a young person called me mate in a shop to be honest.
threebikesmcginty
Corn Fed Hick...
- Location
- ...on the slake
I agree with His Pieliness, go with it dude.
Mr Haematocrit
msg me on kik for android
- Location
- Out of the saddle
'Sir' is way to formal for me, its stuffy and has undertones of the 'upper social classes' as if I am supposed to be subservient and bow to their higher social standing.
I do not believe for one moment anyone is better than me, or has a higher social standing than myself.... I will treat you with respect, I will be polite, I will be friendly, I will serve my customers to the very best of my ability., but you can be damned if I will call anyone Sir who has not been knighted by the Queen.
....Im over 40 as well so hopefully I can still be referred to as a youngster.
I do not believe for one moment anyone is better than me, or has a higher social standing than myself.... I will treat you with respect, I will be polite, I will be friendly, I will serve my customers to the very best of my ability., but you can be damned if I will call anyone Sir who has not been knighted by the Queen.
....Im over 40 as well so hopefully I can still be referred to as a youngster.
Fnaar
Smutmaster General
- Location
- Thumberland
There's a particular pub I go to where one of the barmaids calls me "darlin' ". I really like it, and I get jealous when she says the exact same to the next customer. Perhaps I have unresolved issues. 
Over The Hill
Guru
- Location
- Ridden off into the sunset
I agree with what you say in terms of for example a posh bloke and a working class bloke both drinking at a bar. The old Cleese-Barker-Corbett sketch does not and should not apply in that situation.
BUT
We are not talking about the two people being on the same side of the bar. One is the customer, the other is serving him. Now if you put either the posh bloke or the working class bloke behind the bar serving the other, there should (in my view) be some old fashioned respect for the customer. I as a customer am paying for a service and to be looked after by the person dealing with my purchase. It is not at all about the class of one or the other as it applies either way.
As soon as one is on the other side of the bar the relationship changes. There is a certain code that goes with serving people. OK it has become a little more relaxed but it is good that it is there.
Mr Haematocrit
msg me on kik for android
- Location
- Out of the saddle
I do not want some pretend respect from a bygone age.. If the retailer wants to give me respect they can do so by fighting for my custom every day and work towards earning my loyalty.
My LBS has worked towards earned my repeat custom and treat me exceptionally well, but for the life of me I do not even recall how I am addressed as a customer, I am however very aware of the service I receive.
vernon
Harder than Ronnie Pickering
- Location
- Meanwood, Leeds
You are still talking about the social divide between master/mistress and servant when you are talking about retail/service situations. We abandoned that notion with tradesmen's entrances and servants quarters. By all means write your own code for social exchanges separated by counters/bars and income but you'll have to get used to it being ignored or modified without your permission.
unresolved tissues may help.There's a particular pub I go to where one of the barmaids calls me "darlin' ". I really like it, and I get jealous when she says the exact same to the next customer. Perhaps I have unresolved issues.
Headgardener
Armchair Cyclist
As a porter in the now almost defunct NHS everybody (the males that is) I address as sir if I don't know them personally and the females are addressed as madam. I don't think I have called anybody mate, bud or pal in my life, it's just plain rude
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hehe I've done this a few times to teenagers I've seen cycling with no lights "get some lights, son" in my disappointed voice. More often than not they mumble "sorry!", and I'm sure its because they think I'm a lot older because I didn't use mate/dude/bro (and its dark so they can't see that I'm only 28!)
sidevalve
Über Member
It is a symptom of a continued lack of respect for anyone else. It transfers to all situations. The arrogant driver who "can't be arsed" waiting and tries to force his way past, the guy who lights up a cigar in a no smoking area or the vandal that slashes your bike tyres "just for a laugh", are all part of the same story.
The class system is dead and good riddance but that doesn't mean it's ok just to treat other people as though they are just another annoyance to be tolerated and then got rid of.
The class system is dead and good riddance but that doesn't mean it's ok just to treat other people as though they are just another annoyance to be tolerated and then got rid of.
Mr Haematocrit
msg me on kik for android
- Location
- Out of the saddle
Does what you call someone show respect in any way at all?
I personally think how you communicate shows manners and standards, but respect I'm not so certain.
I personally think how you communicate shows manners and standards, but respect I'm not so certain.
