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This thread appears to be the Dakka equivelant of a slow news day.

this is a post about a guy being overly sensitive on being called sir. the perfect thread!. jesus christ....

Thanatos_elNyx wrote:

BoxANT wrote:If someone calls you "Sir" does not equate a disparity in power or status. If you think that anyone who calls you "Sir" actually thinks you are in any way "better" than them, you are simply deluding yourself. It is a formal show of respect, a way of talking to someone whom you do not have a casual relationship with.

I think you're missing the point and a lot of history.

No one calls anyone else Sir and we all get along just fine.
Though that is diminishing a little with all the rest of the americanisation going on (or should i say americanization).

Yes, our evil American plan to unstable the UK by getting people to address others with "Sir", "thank you", and "you are welcome".


This is a personal problem, you have the right not to be injured or assaulted. However, being made uncomfortable (by being called "Sir" of all things ) is something that people may just have to live with (granted it could work different in a nanny state).

I hate being called sir so I know the feeling, more likely then not when some one calls me sir I just walk away and ignore them.

It just annoys me because we both know they don't mean it in a respectful way, there just trying to sell me something and are willing to bs out there teeth to do it.

Aha, I guess that shows what you know. Too bad we can't all be psychic like you, to know exactly what's in other people's heads. The walking away bit is good though, since I use 'sir' most often when walking through crowded places, and say, 'scuse me, sir' if there's a guy in my way.

Of course, the best part about the 'ignore them and walk away' response is one day you'll be transporting a whole bunch of personal explosives, and some helpful fellow is going to shout, 'Sir! Sir! You dropped the pin from one of your-!' but since you're just ignoring him and walking away... BOOM!

Too bad we can't all be psychic like you

The word you're looking for is "psychotic", that's what you are if you take personal offense to being addressed respectfully and ignore that person. In my "humble" opinion, anyway.

My friends and I started using the word "sir" a lot about 5 years ago. We felt it was a forgotten word around here plus its kinda funny to us to say it all the time. Keep in mind we started using "Sir" in our early 20s and still do, not really due to it being respectful but because its something no one says any more and its just so odd hearing it all the time.

That all said, "Sir" has a great dark side. For whatever reason, it turns certain people into mindless crazy machines. Let me list you what actually happened to me just by using the word sir. I will also say that I never tried to be annoying or just say the word like crazy. I just use it as a greeting and just about everyone of these came without warning.

1> Screamed at for 10 mins by someone at the top of the lungs until their face was pure red.
2> Kicked out of college class after the teacher got sick of me calling sir just about every day.
3> Was refused service at McDonald's by one employee
4> Multiple life threats
5> Thrown out of my friend's house by his dad
6> Kicked out of a DnD group
7> Recieved complains at work that calling people sir and ma'am is rude

Even with all that said, I still use "Sir" because for every prick that cries there are a hundred that think its great that I use that word.

See, what'd I tell you? Psychotic!

Seriously though, that's crazy...and you weren't saying it to deliberately piss anyone off or in a sarcastic/mocking tone?

When I am faced with this situation, I tend to do the following.

"Hello sir, is there any way I can help you?"

(I turn, hold out my hand and say)

" Not at the moment thank you, I'm Nathan"

(then the conversation usually goes like this)

"Er.... um.. i'm (befuddled employee's name here) nice to meet you" and then they walk off hurriedly, while I go back to minding my own business.

On rare occasions, I meet someone who is cool enough, and quick enough, to change salesman strategies to a more casual, affable diction. We talk, and then I buy something. Eventually everyone in the store knows my name, and gaming ensues.

Then again.. this isn't in any GW stores, only a few FLGS's... but hey.. it might work.

SirRouga wrote:My friends and I started using the word "sir" a lot about 5 years ago. We felt it was a forgotten word around here plus its kinda funny to us to say it all the time. Keep in mind we started using "Sir" in our early 20s and still do, not really due to it being respectful but because its something no one says any more and its just so odd hearing it all the time.

That all said, "Sir" has a great dark side. For whatever reason, it turns certain people into mindless crazy machines. Let me list you what actually happened to me just by using the word sir. I will also say that I never tried to be annoying or just say the word like crazy. I just use it as a greeting and just about everyone of these came without warning.

1> Screamed at for 10 mins by someone at the top of the lungs until their face was pure red.
2> Kicked out of college class after the teacher got sick of me calling sir just about every day.
3> Was refused service at McDonald's by one employee
4> Multiple life threats
5> Thrown out of my friend's house by his dad
6> Kicked out of a DnD group
7> Recieved complains at work that calling people sir and ma'am is rude

Even with all that said, I still use "Sir" because for every prick that cries there are a hundred that think its great that I use that word.

good stuff btw

SirRouga wrote:My friends and I started using the word "sir" a lot about 5 years ago. We felt it was a forgotten word around here plus its kinda funny to us to say it all the time. Keep in mind we started using "Sir" in our early 20s and still do, not really due to it being respectful but because its something no one says any more and its just so odd hearing it all the time.

That all said, "Sir" has a great dark side. For whatever reason, it turns certain people into mindless crazy machines. Let me list you what actually happened to me just by using the word sir. I will also say that I never tried to be annoying or just say the word like crazy. I just use it as a greeting and just about everyone of these came without warning.

1> Screamed at for 10 mins by someone at the top of the lungs until their face was pure red.
2> Kicked out of college class after the teacher got sick of me calling sir just about every day.
3> Was refused service at McDonald's by one employee
4> Multiple life threats
5> Thrown out of my friend's house by his dad
6> Kicked out of a DnD group
7> Recieved complains at work that calling people sir and ma'am is rude

Even with all that said, I still use "Sir" because for every prick that cries there are a hundred that think its great that I use that word.

Number six is actually a good thing.

Shrike78 wrote:When I am faced with this situation, I tend to do the following.

"Hello sir, is there any way I can help you?"

(I turn, hold out my hand and say)

" Not at the moment thank you, I'm Nathan"

(then the conversation usually goes like this)

"Er.... um.. i'm (befuddled employee's name here) nice to meet you" and then they walk off hurriedly, while I go back to minding my own business.

On rare occasions, I meet someone who is cool enough, and quick enough, to change salesman strategies to a more casual, affable diction. We talk, and then I buy something. Eventually everyone in the store knows my name, and gaming ensues.

Then again.. this isn't in any GW stores, only a few FLGS's... but hey.. it might work.

This.

Kanluwen wrote:

Shrike78 wrote:When I am faced with this situation, I tend to do the following.

"Hello sir, is there any way I can help you?"

(I turn, hold out my hand and say)

" Not at the moment thank you, I'm Nathan"

(then the conversation usually goes like this)

"Er.... um.. i'm (befuddled employee's name here) nice to meet you" and then they walk off hurriedly, while I go back to minding my own business.

On rare occasions, I meet someone who is cool enough, and quick enough, to change salesman strategies to a more casual, affable diction. We talk, and then I buy something. Eventually everyone in the store knows my name, and gaming ensues.

Then again.. this isn't in any GW stores, only a few FLGS's... but hey.. it might work.

This.

... sorry... what?

Multiple pages on the insult of being called sir??!!
What's next, a 4 page debate over voluntary faq's?

... what's wrong with that?

stonefox wrote:Number six is actually a good thing.

How do you figure that?

these types of insignificant threads are what dakka's made of! i like.

Agamemnon2 wrote:

stonefox wrote:Number six is actually a good thing.

How do you figure that?

Perhaps you are taking it a bit too personally?

I call Commissioned Officers, Landed Knights and Royalty, my father, and people I don't know that are older than me "sir". I don't really care personally if I'm called "sir" or not, but I usually correct people after the first time that I am not anyone's father, and I do work for a living. If you MUST stick a formality onto every sentence towards me, I accept "Sergeant" as a given.

Khestra the Unbeheld wrote:I call Commissioned Officers, Landed Knights and Royalty, my father, and people I don't know that are older than me "sir". I don't really care personally if I'm called "sir" or not, but I usually correct people after the first time that I am not anyone's father, and I do work for a living. If you MUST stick a formality onto every sentence towards me, I accept "Sergeant" as a given.

QFT

I generally reply that I've not been knighted yet and wind up with a chuckle out of it.

What in ** is wrong with the Americans in this thread being upset about being called 'sir' or 'ma'am'? It's just being used as a substitute for 'Hey, you'.

Don't you have something else to complain about?!?

You did notice that the OP is a brit, right?

Well it's better than the classic Chip Shop service.

Customer: Half a chicken and chips.
Server: There you go. Now **** off.

People don't call each other sir in the UK except for assistants in up-market clothes shops like Aquascutum. If you're spending £400 on a macintosh you want to be called sir.

Getting old is when young women offer you their seat on the tube.

Sad days. :S You'll all be there sometime, so don't laugh.

OK, shall I lock this thread?

I find it annoying. I abhor formality.

Come on guys, we can get this wreck of a thread to page 4, I know it!

Go, mods. Lock it.

They'll just find something else to complain about, anyway.

Dont mind me, On my way to page four...

I insist on being called "sir" by everyone, even close friends and family.

When people don't call me sir, I say "Call me sir, I don't work for a living!" whether or not this is actually true at the time.

::EDIT:: What is this, just the longest page 3 ever?

Crap, I was really hoping this would be the page four post... oh well.