When you talk on the phone with customer support they like to call you Sir. I always tell them that it isn’t necessary and my first name is fine.
Why am I sharing this? I don’t believe in excessive formality. Certainly not between people who are just trying to do their job and have a set of ridiculous requirements to make customers feel important.
Since I do customer service as well I have at times called people Sir or Madam or whatever they would perceive as fitting their status. There is nothing wrong with showing respect to people. However, I don’t need that ego-serving BS. It’s fine if it is a requirement for a job, but it is not necessary when I am dealing with someone.
Why do I feel uncomfortable being called Sir? I don’t deserve that title. I am not in the military, I am not their superior, I am only some other flawed human being who is asking for support. I don’t believe that I need to be treated as more important than I am just to solve the problem. Basic respect is fine. Calling someone Sir is going over the line in my opinion. It is putting someone on a pedestal, and often it is someone who doesn’t treat others with basic respect.
Basic respect is needed in this world. We can say any words we like to someone else, but you can say all the right things like Sir, and any words you want and still disrespect a person. Respect is about something that you can’t legislate or enforce. Either people willingly give it, or they unwillingly appear like they give it.
For example, I have talked with plenty of people who call me Sir and the disrespect is obvious. I don’t want words when basic respect is all that is required. Someone doesn’t have to be your friend, but they are human and they are worthy of respect.
The worst human deserves respect. I don’t want to get near them, and they should be locked up but they still deserve to be respected. We become animals when we treat others like animals.