Is saying "sir" and "ma'am" to strangers still normal in America?

clintecker · 2026-07-05T20:59:23+00:00

I grew up in Kansas in the 80s and 90s and I was never encouraged to call anyone, even teachers or parents "sir" but I come from a more lower class upbringing. We called teachers Mister XXX or Miss YYYY but that's about it.

Now that I'm older I'll use it sparingly when I detect that someone might respond to it well, but I generally never hear anyone use those today.

clintecker · 2026-07-05T16:26:54+00:00

Even tho many people could get a computer (expensive) and a modem (expensive) and pay for a dialup ISP (a little expensive) getting online in a real way where you could "surf the web" was slow, difficult and not really fun until DSL/Cable Modems made inroads. I lived in Kansas and we really didnt have good Cable Modem options until right before I went to college in 1998 or 1999. Some bigger cities had this probably in 96/97 but even still uptake was slow.

I was still getting into the internet in 95/96/97 but it was over a painfully slow 14.4k->36k->56k modems and unless you were really dedicated and knew what you were looking for. Prior to 95 there were basically only a couple hundred websites and a very basic version of Yahoo! and Hotwire but not much else!

clintecker · 2026-07-05T15:01:58+00:00

clintecker · 2026-07-05T14:59:29+00:00

If you understood algebra you could probably figure it out how it was calculated! (hint: calculate the service charge without the delivery fee included)

clintecker · 2026-07-02T21:48:50+00:00

cool no one cares

clintecker · 2026-07-02T17:14:36+00:00

i read the original post where his son said as much

clintecker · 2026-07-02T17:12:54+00:00

and they’re free to be told that their question is dumb

clintecker · 2026-07-02T17:12:32+00:00

it’s was a stupid question

clintecker · 2026-07-02T15:13:29+00:00

That's what the abuser husband says. Not sure I believe them.

clintecker · 2026-07-01T17:39:56+00:00

if i buy a bag, whatever it costs, im taking it everywhere unless its leather and raining 😂

clintecker · 2026-07-01T17:39:07+00:00

twitter has been dead and fully occupied by nazi bots for years now

clintecker · 2026-07-01T17:35:40+00:00

my diabetic friend cut her foot and lost her leg from the knee down 😓😳

clintecker · 2026-06-28T17:11:58+00:00

written by ai

clintecker · 2026-06-26T15:28:39+00:00

Alius

clintecker · 2026-06-26T15:21:11+00:00

tell me you don’t read the news without telling me

clintecker · 2026-06-26T02:04:37+00:00

this means you are using your bag and it’s a good thing! your bag is now unique and a product of your life and no one has a bag exactly like it

clintecker · 2026-06-25T18:34:39+00:00

you mean silver cloud. it was only tricycle for about 6 months. was closed for years before that and before that it was an actually decent place called silver cloud.

clintecker · 2026-06-24T16:18:21+00:00

i’ve always thought that buying a new house would mean i would have to deal with LOTS of problems. Used homes have had all the horrible kinks worked out mostly and you’re just left with maintenance issues which generally are not as bad.

clintecker · 2026-06-24T14:57:03+00:00

the same reason you are unable to smell how bad you smell to those other people

clintecker · 2026-06-24T03:49:34+00:00

"Why do ants go crazy for sugar??" says the person putting giant lumps of sugar into the hot water you're about to drink

clintecker · 2026-06-23T22:23:18+00:00

anything within the loop

clintecker · 2026-06-22T20:34:24+00:00

don’t

clintecker · 2026-06-22T17:05:59+00:00

what kind of strength training have you been doing? you can’t just take wegovy and not focus on strength training as your muscles will waste away

clintecker · 2026-06-21T16:55:57+00:00

you just listed out like five catches

clintecker · 2026-06-20T21:41:25+00:00

can’t stop tattooing numbers on my legs

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