Civillian's are rude

[Bartuc08]

to those who know i recently joined the Air Force, and just finished my Tech training (leave for Germany Jan 7th). I'm currently on leave in Mississippi and one of the first things I've noticed is how rude people are compared to the military life.

In the Military you address everyone as Sir or Ma'am, not necessarily because you're required but because it's a show of respect, not only that but you just show respect in general, because you don't know who that person is, or what they've done. In the civilian world it's the other way around it seems. the only time a civilian address's me as sir is while I'm in uniform. I went down to the school to pick my brother up early, I wasn't in uniform, and the teachers there were just straight up rude. They though that cause i was young, that i was part of their school system, and if i wasn't part of their school system then i was just young and hopeless regardless. They didn't acknowledge me beyond "hey you", that's not how our society should be.

Something else that kind of bothers me, and this happens in the military too. People that make your food, take out your trash, or just check out your items at the register, are people like you. they deserve the same respect if not more as you, they're doing the jobs you don't want to do.

Anyway, what I'm kind of trying to get at is this, learn to show respect to each other, you don't need to join the military to learn that, it starts with you. Start addressing everyone as sir or ma'am, regardless of how they act towards you, and be courteous to you're fellow man and woman.

And to finish my rant, I joined the Air Force wanting to change the world, I realize now how hard a task that would be, but I've also realized that it can be done, just one person at a time. Show respect and care for those around you, and you can see how it changes the world around you. If some body is down, pick them up.

 

[esb]

You know, it is true. If you compare the life and manners from the military to average life, it changes drastically. But in the military, it comes from the heart, or at least they mean it when they show respect. In the normal average life, you only show respect when you need something from them, or they have more power than you.

Many say that respect is gained, but it should be respect is lost. Because we should all start with respect in the first place. Not start with zero respect and if 'they treat me nice' respect them a bit more.

But hey, you are taking steps to change the world. Your first step was by making this thread.

 

[BANANAMAN]

You should google the Monkeysphere (in Cracked.com)

 

[esb]

No one is asking to care so much for others. Simply show some respect to everyone. Pretty simple if you ask me. Unless you use Monkeysphere to explain that no one gives a sh*t about anyone else but themselves, then we need to change that.

 

[Bartuc08]

monkey sphere may be true to an extent but the things you do leave a lasting impression on people. Friends from tech school have quit smoking and drinking because of the impression I've made on them, chances are I'll never see these people again, but I've changed their lives. Who knows maybe, because of the things I've said to them, or the things they've learned from me, they'll pass it on to someone else.

regardless, if you're young i highly suggest you start making steps towards being more respectful, or at least showing it. little things like saying Sir or Ma'am make a huge difference and it will be noticed

 

[BANANAMAN]

Or at least treating people like they are people and not Like crap

 

[UndeadDragon]

In England, most of the time, people ony call others Sir or Madam if they have been knighted by the Queen

The only other time would be when you are in expensive restaurants.

 

[MurderMode]

Civilian life and the Military are two completely different things, and calling someone "sir" or "ma'am" doesn't equal respect... respect is something that needs to be earned and it is more then a title.

Unlike civilian life, the military is a completely structured.... everyone has a role or position that they have worked their way into, and it makes sense to address your superiors with a title as well as your peers for their respect. The main reason for this is that everyone is part of the same structure and working toward the same goal.

In civilian life structure is very loose and everyone works towards their own means. Just because someone is older doesn't mean you should respect them, everyone gets old. Just because someone is in a better job or position doesn't demand respect either, simply sitting through a university or tafe course can give you a leading edge in the workforce.... it doesn't mean you are any good at what you do, or even worth your salary. In civilian life respect is something that is earned through actions, not rank.

What you are looking for is not a more respectful society, but a more polite one. Although very few people bother to, you should always be polite to a stranger unless they give reason not to. Knowing or knowing of someone over time finally brings in the element of respect, as their action and your knowledge of their personal qualities gives you a basis to work out whether they are worthy of respect or not.

If you are truly talking about respect though and not just common courtesy, then like I said earlier you need to learn it's more then just a title.... because anyone can pre-program themselves to blurt out 'sir' with no respect attached. Respect stems from a multitude of things like good personal qualities, achievements, moral standing, their impact others lives etc. so as an example, saying that you are a respectful person by using titles is quite the contradiction when you have 'Pedophile Extraordinaire' underneath your name. That shows immense disrespect for people who have suffered sexual abuse at a young age.

...not that I really care though. I personally wish the world was a worse place because it'd make it easier for me to do the bad things I do. However, it is something for you to think on if you consider courtesy and respect to be qualities you want to adhere to your own life. You are only being a respectful person when you consider everyone's personal feelings toward your actions, otherwise you are no different to the civilians you bitch about.

 

[Bartuc08]

actually, i was trying to change that last night but i can't find the button

i see what you mean though, but at the same time, you shouldn't dis-respect someone you don't know. Yes there is more then just addressing someone as Sir or Ma'am, but it shows on your part that you actually see that person in a respectful manner. Politeness or respect, it's totally different in the civilian world.

 

[Sintoras]

I don't think it rude if someone calls me (in an appropriate tone) with "hey you".

Actually I like the casual way of talking and addressing people. In Austria where I live you call everyone you don't know sir or madam. Its completely normal here. You also call your teachers sir or madam (dunno if this is normal in the US too).
You never say "you", there are different words for talking to people you don't know.

Sintoras

 

[JerseyFoo]

Addressing people as Sir or Madam is often taken as an insult, in America anyway. ( signifies old, strict, unfriendly )

It's a little thing called 'Culture'. Just because the military forced you into a new culture, doesn't mean the culture at home has anything wrong with it. Why don't you take a few classes on Sociology & Economics before criticizing people in general.

If you'd like to declare your culture as 'right' you ought to read this - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi

I joined the Air Force wanting to change the world

That's a good one. If anything, the Air Force exists to keep the world as it is.

Integrity First
Service Before Self
Excellence in All We Do

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Fourth_Incident

 

[Bartuc08]

I fail to see how addressing someone as sir or ma'am can be insulting... And I've done that even before joining the military.

regardless of how you show respect I just don't think you should only respect those who you think deserve it, everyone deserves respect until they lose it. Like I've said, in the military you don't know who they are, or what they've done, but you show respect regardless, whether he/she is an Airman, or a General. In the civilian world the situations may be the same, but are handled differently. A good example would be some one who chants "support our troops" but turns to the man beside him and tells him to fuck off, hell, who's to say the man beside him isn't a soldier?

As for quoting the Core values... i don't see what you're getting at, What do the core values have to do with the June fourth incident?

I don't see how you can compare me asking for a little show of respect, nothing too hard to ask for, to trying to turn y'all into Nazi's...

I'm sorry if you feel like I'm attacking you personally by asking you to show respect, but your claims are ridiculous, take a little time to grow up, and continue being dis-respectful, see how far it gets you.

Concerning me wanting to change the world, It can be done, maybe not on a global scale, but I can affect those around me through my actions, and through my words. The Air Force creates leaders, and in this day and age, the young could use some good leaders.

 

[Darthfett]

I think it all depends. Some people I just call Sir because they act like they want to be treated that way. Most people I don't, simply because I'm uncomfortable calling anyone "Sir", and I've never called anyone "Madam" in my life (only Ma'am, and that's rarer than sir).

I don't see anything rude about how people are addressed, though I understand your point. Since I started working at Petco and have treat customers as intelligent people, I've been noticing the way associates at other stores treat people.

They have to treat the customers as if they are their slave, and sometimes the customers think they deserve it.

Just a curve ball to throw at you: how do you know that the uniform is not a way of knowing what somebody has done, or is doing? You say everyone in the army treats you with respect, but couldn't that be because they know you are serving their country as well?

Citizens may simply be treating you with respect while in uniform, because they know that you're fighting for your country, instead of being a janitor at Walmart.

"Hey you" may simply be their way of addressing you comfortably, not necessarily their way of treating you as garbage. You're simply used to being called "Sir".

 

[JerseyFoo]

My claims are not 'ridiculous'...

http://www.google.com/search?q=how+is+ma'am+insulting

http://www.google.com/search?q=how+is+calling+someone+ma'am+insulting

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080717144828AAC0zvM

In the military, "Sir" or "Ma'am" is how superior officers are addressed. Enlisted personnel often think of desk jobs as not being real work because it is not physically difficult work. Hence the enlisted folks say they work for a living but the officers don't. "Ma'am" may be seen as negative because it denotes age (most women want to stay young and beautiful so aging and being referred to in a manner associated with age is unappealing). "Ma'am" may also be associated with the idea of race and folks from older generations may take offense to the racial connotations of the word "Ma'am".

It's not improper to call someone Sir or Ma'am unless you are their superior in a work capacity.

Most people object to it for two reasons.
1. They grew up military and feel that only military officers deserve to be called Sir or Ma'am.
2. They're getting older and don't like to be reminded of it when someone younger shows the proper respect.

It's not wrong to show proper respect. Continue to do so and when someone objects, just try to remember to use their name instead the next time you talk.

Women who are self-conscious about their age object to being called "ma'am" because it draws attention to the fact that they are, in fact, older than you are.

Men who work blue-collar jobs object to being called "sir" because this is what the management has insisted on being called, and they don't want be in the same group as the management.

HOWEVER: just because some people are self-conscious or bitter does not mean that you should not be as polite and respectful as possible. "Ma'am" is the appropriate way to address a female of marriageable age. Addressing a woman over twenty as "miss" is essentially talking down to her.

Hold yourself to that high standard and don't let anyone talk you down from it. You are valuable and a rare breed!

In this case, what some people think is evidence enough. As what some people think defines what may be considered rude.

As for quoting the Core values... i don't see what you're getting at, What do the core values have to do with the June fourth incident?

What do you think the commies are made to believe in. "Service before self", 'Integrity' & 'Excellence' is just as relative as culture.

I don't see how you can compare me asking for a little show of respect, nothing too hard to ask for, to trying to turn y'all into Nazi's...

Never compared you. That goes along with Cultures being different.

Concerning me wanting to change the world, It can be done, maybe not on a global scale, but I can affect those around me through my actions, and through my words. The Air Force creates leaders, and in this day and age, the young could use some good leaders.

Then why not change the world by being a garbageman. "The Air Force creates leaders" - perhaps 'experience' makes leaders, but not simply the Air Force.

 

[Miz]

Just a reminder here - I feel that some people are getting overly emotional and bringing offensive comments into this discussion. Please respect other opinions in this thread when you post, if not and you bring offensive comments or content that may start a flame war your post will be deleted and/or dealt with as such.

Thanks,
Miz

 

[Hatebreeder]

Just a reminder here - I feel that some people are getting overly emotional and bringing offensive comments into this discussion. Please respect other opinions in this thread when you post, if not and you bring offensive comments or content that may start a flame war your post will be deleted and/or dealt with as such.

Thanks,
Miz

Ye, everyone's turning out to become emo ( = Emotional).
Respect means nothing to me. If you're nice to me, O'm nice to you. it's alle about how you treat other people.

 

[BANANAMAN]

I think the phrase "Prove one's worth" should be mentioned here.

Simply because respect is earned by "Proving one's worth" Or at least being reminded of what a person did to deserve respect. That or being generally awesome.

 

[Seb!]

I personally wish the world was a worse place because it'd make it easier for me to do the bad things I do.

Lol

 

[DM Cross]

In my opinion, you all suck I'll be as bloody rude to each and every one of you, as I see fit. And why?

Because I can. Free country, buddy You're even fighting for the right I have to be rude to you, Bart. Ironic, isn't it?

Anyway. As for people being insulted about sir or ma'am, I don't think I've ever heard someone be insulted for a "sir" [unless it's not a sir] but "ma'am" seems to make some women feel old for some reason and I've dealt with people who simply do not like it and find it a statement, not a term of respect.

It's all perception.

Take mine, for instance. This is a ridiculous thread to begin with, considering that in both my experience and my personal perception, Bart is one of the rudest people I have met on this forum that I haven't banned.

Nothing personal, though I'm a rude sumbitch myself.

Debate that.

 

[Varine]

It has nothing to do with rudeness or respect; it's the way society is. I doubt you call every guy you come across as sir. And about it not being required to address people as Sir or Ma'am in the military... yeah, maybe not in the Air Force because they are really lax, but try to get by without calling someone above your rank sir in the Marine Corps or Army. It'll be a fun experience, I assure you.

What's it matter anyway? It's not like most people have done something so great that everyone should address them as sir or ma'am. I never get called sir.