5 ms·
I don't understand the unnecessary tone John Gruber uses in this article. > Fuck this “sir” shit. We don’t have titles in the United States. The US isn't the
by beardedman 7y ago
I don't understand the unnecessary tone John Gruber uses in this article.
> Fuck this “sir” shit. We don’t have titles in the United States.
The US isn't the only country on the map (surprisingly enough, I know). And who cares if Jony Ive is starting his own thing? Why would that be "pure spin"?
Apple is not in its renaissance days anymore - whilst Jony Ive might have been critical back then - Apple is just not the same company anymore. There are a lot more people responsible for the "magic" these days (which is a good thing).
- jedberg 7y agoYeah that bugged me too. We still call the Queen "Queen" even when she's in the US. We don't assign titles of nobility, but we certainly respect them.
- nostromo 7y ago“Queen” is a title, like “president” or even “janitor.” “Sir” is an honorific. Like “his holiness” or “your honor” or “her majesty.” We use titles all the time in the US but rarely use honorifics (with a few exceptions).
- nikanj 7y agoDoctors and reverends are called with honorifics all the time.
- DoreenMichele 7y agoIn the Deep South, it's not that unusual to say Mr./Ms. (First name) as a show of respect. When I worked at Aflac, the sole remaining (living) founder, Paul Amos, was routinely internally referred to as Mr. Paul.
- lazugod 7y agoI don’t think Americans unanimously respect titles of nobility, and I think Gruber’s point is that he personally doesn’t respect them and wishes Apple didn’t respect them either. Whether this is a consistent point of his, whether Gruber has always referred to the Queen as Elizabeth Windsor, I don’t know. But I wouldn’t conflate convenience with respect. “The Queen” is a very easy name to remember and use informally without necessarily supporting monarchy. Like, I wouldn’t call Captain Blackbeard “Captain Blackbeard” out of respect for piracy.
- SllX 7y agoThis is Gruber’s typical and entertaining tone. Daring Fireball has always been as much entertainment as Apple punditry. Take it too seriously at your own risk, sir.
- Doctor_Fegg 7y agoIt was entertainment back in the anthropomorphic Brushed Metal days. Gruber hasn’t been funny for a while.
- toasterlovin 7y agoHe's not saying that Jony Ive starting his own thing is pure spin. He's saying that Jony continuing to be substantially involved in Apple design is pure spin. And regarding addressing people as 'Sir so and so'. As an American, it's always really jarring when I come across this in print. America has a lot of problems, but one of the most hopelessly idealistic things we ever did was opt to forego a formal aristocracy. But anyway, I think Gruber perhaps didn't realize that the reason the Financial Times was using Ives' title is that they're an English publication.
- mathieuh 7y agoAll I ever see is people in US TV saying “sir” and “ma’am”, is this inaccurate? I’m from the UK and similarly don’t believe in titles and I have never used or heard these words used in my life
- xyzzyz 7y agoPeople will say to you "sir/ma'am" in a customer/representative situations, e.g. retail salespeople will call you sir, and so will often clerks in government offices. Outside of these, not really.
- CGamesPlay 7y agoSir and ma’am are simply polite ways to address any man/woman. It isn’t a formal title and you address anyone you like using those words when you want to be respectful.
- toasterlovin 7y agoWe add those terms to the end of a phrase in lieu of a person’s name. As in, “How may I help you, sir?”. But the usage referenced in the article was putting the word before the person’s name to indicate that they’ve been titled by the British government (or the crown, perhaps?). As in, “Sir Jony Ive has announced that he will be leaving Apple.” Very different things.
- NeedMoreTea 7y ago