Which spanking cliches drive you crazy

I frankly see the terms Sir, Miss, Ma'am or such like easy ways of identifying the power dynamics in a story and indeed to a degree in life.

One can read into its use what you wish, if in the UK Military you are required to respect the Queen's Commission and uniform of those wearing it (Officers) by in part calling them Sir/Ma'am, but likewise the person serving you in a shop can often call you Sir/Madam, different scenarios, different power structures but same phraseology.

Self disclosure, but in day to day life/work i do find myself using the Sir, Madam phrases, yes ok it shows respect, but frankly i am useless at remembering names etc, so the phrase trips off my tongue freely, those in authority think i am showing due respect, but little do they know i call everyone that.

Using such phrases can seem overly polite/respectful, but i see it as no one is going to be offended by being called Sir/Ma'am etc (hopefully), if so then frankly that their issue.

That is going off the thread theme, so to bring it back on thread i am happy to read the Sir, Ma'am type titles in stories, of course throwing up your finest salute if it involves Military Officers

Reminds me of the late Richard Attenborough, who when giving a talk a few years back at the National Film Theatre remarked "People think I'm a terrible luvvie because I call everybody 'Darling'. But it's really because I'm hopeless at remembering people's names."

Never head that little gem before, thanks

So all is good i am in esteemed company, a Lord in fact, that'll do nicely .

Rosie Cheeks, there is no such thing as being overly polite, better that than being overly rude which can lead to prolonged bouts of discomfort when trying to sit comfortably.

But then again, the 'overly rude' behaviour could provide us spankers with an excellent pretext for putting the rude person otk. (Yeah, I know - like we need one...)

Re Sir
I frequently addressed clients as Sir or Madam if I didn't know them or their name.
I didn't find this demeaning as when I was young it was the norm.
I still find it uncomfortable to use first name terms with somebody I don't know well.

At school, where of course we had to address masters as Sir or be plimsolled, we use to say between our selves is that with a hard or soft C. and think to ourselves (with a hard C) if we didn't respect him or were to be punished.
I still think that when I see the nondescript load of freebooters and in many undeserving political cronies, who are knighted in the abhorrent (to me) British honours system.

I believe that children in the Us used to be expected to call their father's sir; I always found this very uncomfortable and unloving, Dad was Dad and nothing else to me until the day he died in his nineties.
Occasionally I would call him father with heavy sarcasm if we disagreed in later life.

So right! Mind you I have always thought "Sir Arthur" has a pleasant ring to it!

I'm sure this is true in some cases; however, I was once discussing this with a friend in his 50s, who was from the south, military, and had a career military family ie the exact person you'd think would have been raised that way. I asked if he'd ever called his father 'sir'; he said 'sure, when I was being sarcastic.'

I totally agree, as one grows up a little, well it did for me anyway i learned there was no point to rudeness, yes it has 'consequences', but likewise is purposeless, it solves/changes nothing and is the stuff of school playgrounds.

Right that's the gospel from lil missy good shoes,

When I was a child, sir or Ma'am was a given and not a choice. Now, when someone calls me sir, I tell them I'm not that old yet. However, I do appreciate the fact that some still exhibit good manners.