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How horribly American. Bill may earn 1000 more than you do and can sack you on a whim but unlike in, say, Germany where you have less wage disparity and greater

How horribly American. Bill may earn 1000 more than you do and can sack you on a whim but unlike in, say, Germany where you have less wage disparity and greater job security you don't have to address him by his title, nor he, you.

jungturk 6y ago
This is more a statement on the informality typical in many modern (US?) workplaces than a declaration of any hard-fought labor victory. Military, law enforcement, medical, and educational institutions still reinforce the ideas of titular address, but its fallen by the wayside in many places.
- snapetom 6y ago
  "many places"? More like a total relic of the past. In my 20 year career, I've worked in all sorts of industries across corporate America including NY finance, insurance, politics, and medical and educational institutions as you list. I've never been in an environment where people addressed even the CEO as "Mr. xxxx." My last job was at a research hospital. Being old school, I always start introductions by addressing researchers and doctors as, "Dr. xxxx." Everyone insisted I call them by their first names, and a few outright told me they felt uncomfortable with me addressing them as "Dr. xxxx." One said, "Only psychopaths address people by their titles." I can see how titles still holds true for military and law enforcement, but I've never seen an institution where that even exists today. Probably because it's a huge red flag of insecurity if the head person requires it.
snapetom 6y ago
If you think Americans have to address superiors by their titles, you haven't interacted with Americans nor been inside an American workplace.
- jjj123 6y ago
  I think you have it backwards. He’s saying Americans don’t have to address superiors by their titles and we act like that’s a victory when our workplaces are totalitarian in every other way.
- sthnblllII 6y ago
  He doesnt. He’s criticizing how Americans pretend the hierarchy doesn't exist while allowing its worst abuses to continue, instead of acknowledging it and treating people fairly within it.
dang 6y ago
Please don't put nationalistic flamebait in your HN posts. I'm sure you could make your substantive point without that. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
- stormdennis 6y ago
  Fair enough I guess but America isn't just A.N Other country, not does it behave like it is. It's almost an ism.
  - dang 6y ago
    That's true in certain ways, but there are also countervailing points, such as that the US is a large, diverse country and it makes no sense to tar it with one brush. In any case, these subtleties—not that they're all that subtle—are lost in internet comment land.

jungturk 6y ago

This is more a statement on the informality typical in many modern (US?) workplaces than a declaration of any hard-fought labor victory. Military, law enforcement, medical, and educational institutions still reinforce the ideas of titular address, but its fallen by the wayside in many places.

snapetom 6y ago
"many places"? More like a total relic of the past. In my 20 year career, I've worked in all sorts of industries across corporate America including NY finance, insurance, politics, and medical and educational institutions as you list. I've never been in an environment where people addressed even the CEO as "Mr. xxxx." My last job was at a research hospital. Being old school, I always start introductions by addressing researchers and doctors as, "Dr. xxxx." Everyone insisted I call them by their first names, and a few outright told me they felt uncomfortable with me addressing them as "Dr. xxxx." One said, "Only psychopaths address people by their titles." I can see how titles still holds true for military and law enforcement, but I've never seen an institution where that even exists today. Probably because it's a huge red flag of insecurity if the head person requires it.

snapetom 6y ago

If you think Americans have to address superiors by their titles, you haven't interacted with Americans nor been inside an American workplace.

jjj123 6y ago
I think you have it backwards. He’s saying Americans don’t have to address superiors by their titles and we act like that’s a victory when our workplaces are totalitarian in every other way.
sthnblllII 6y ago
He doesnt. He’s criticizing how Americans pretend the hierarchy doesn't exist while allowing its worst abuses to continue, instead of acknowledging it and treating people fairly within it.

dang 6y ago

Please don't put nationalistic flamebait in your HN posts. I'm sure you could make your substantive point without that. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

stormdennis 6y ago
Fair enough I guess but America isn't just A.N Other country, not does it behave like it is. It's almost an ism.
- dang 6y ago
  That's true in certain ways, but there are also countervailing points, such as that the US is a large, diverse country and it makes no sense to tar it with one brush. In any case, these subtleties—not that they're all that subtle—are lost in internet comment land.