Yes sir, No sir.

Twenty-five years ago, my first real job in America was in a law firm and I would never forget what my boss told me when I used 'sir' before his name. "Ritchie, don't call anybody "sir" or ma'am, because that would automatically put you in a subservient position." Well, I'm here in the Philippines for 3 months now, and it drives me crazy that everywhere I turn I hear "sir" or "ma'am" as if that's a persons name in itself. I can't get myself to feel comfortable calling anyone besides their first name and it makes me cringe when I am addressed other than my first name.

Someone says I'm too Americanized and I say, so what's wrong with being practical? Filipinos are title crazy, we all know that; what with, Attorney this, Engineer that, Mr. or Mrs. so and so. Aren't we just too drunk with ourselves? Come on, calling someone sir or ma'am is not being respectful--- it's being colonial. Otherwise, why are you not addressing your maid who is the age of your grandmother, "ma'am" and address your old and hunchback driver "sir." Sometimes we have to ask ourselves why we do what we do and as my black co-worker used to say when she was unhappy with our white boss: "We're not at the plantation no mo' so I ain't doing that."
And you say that all I do is find something to complain about. Well, that's true, so you can call me crazy, just don't call me "ma'am." Ok?