Exactly this. The person that Wiscohunter referred to above was almost certainly prior military enlisted. I still catch myself using that response sometimes, but I always throw in the military reference and say it with a smile. You never call a Navy Chief "sir" or "ma'am". You just don't do it.
I've never heard this before. What's the reasoning behind it? I call people Sir and Ma'am more than most people... Thinking I should lay off now.
If this dude was a Sergeant then I'm a 4-star General. But I do think that some people don't like/want to be called sir. I'm not talking former military either.
Because NCOs (including WOs) consider all commissioned officers under field grade and most officers above field grade to be worthless idiots only good at effing things up.
In the military, "Sir" and "Ma'am" are used ONLY towards officers. To call a senior enlisted man "sir" borders on being disrespectful. I'll edit to add that senior enlisted men and women worked hard for a long time to earn a position of authority and leadership. A "boot ensign" fresh out of OCS with no real-world experience is called "sir". That's why we didn't tolerate being called "sir". I was a Chief and God help a junior sailor who called me "Sir".
I believe it; I'm just saying that the sentiment is bleedover from military culture. Like how your average journeyman skilled trades would consider the shop floor foreman an idiot. Just because your have a piece of paper saying you read about it doesn't mean you know how to do it.
He might not have been prior military, but if he wasn't I'd bet a close family member or a friend of his was and he picked it up from them.
Good to know. I'm still going to say sir/ma'am anytime it's called for. It's simply a respect thing for me. I could see reacting that way while serving... But to react that way to an unsuspecting person trying to be respectful without knowing you served is just different to me (likely because I haven't served). Am I crazy for thinking this way?
No, not at all. In my experience, anyone who uses the phrase after they've gotten out does it as a joke, and only then to someone who knows them and knows their background. Like I said, I still use it from time to time, but it's always in jest. It wouldn't make sense to use the phrase and mean it on someone who didn't know me or my background. I'd just come off sounding like an a-hole. Being both retired military and from the south, I call everyone (including younger folks I don't know) "sir" and "ma'am". When I started working at St. Jude in May 2008 after I retired from the Navy I worked for a lady doctor who was a world-renowned genetic immunologist with an ego to match. She didn't care much for men and absolutely hated the south, and as a result she hated being called "Ma'am". I drove that lady nuts because I just couldn't stop saying "Ma'am". That was fun.
Wow, I'm glad I read through all that mess. I feel like now I have a legitimate excuse to just refer to everyone equally disrespectfully as dumba** or bi*ch.
I worked with a lady who didn't want the door opened for her. I will usually hold or open a door for people male or female. She said thanks, but I can open doors myself. She was actually a very nice person and after I got to know her I would give her crap about it.
My wife spent too many years earning her stripes to be disrespected by being called "ma'am" like some Butterbar.
I am so sick and tired of late night talk show hosts. Nobody knew Johny Carson's political leanings and he was funny, the hacks now suck.
Half of my problems are caused by my tone of voice and sarcasm. Everyone thinks I am either mad or arguing or just an a-hole. While actually, I'm just talking.
Listened to Bill Engval the other day, laughed so hard i hurt and not once did he cuss or bring up political stuff in his hour of comedy. Now weather u like him or not, to me that is good comedy, clean and funny and he will forever have a job. Most will fall out after Trump is gone.
