Something that’s always bugged me: name prefixes.
Why is it that doctors and politicians and judges are allowed to change their prefixes but no one else is?
I know these folks work hard — extremely hard — but so do CEOs and sanitation workers. I know that becoming a doctor changes you forever, but so does every job anyone has ever held. Just ask them.
In the U.S., professions are (a big part) our identities. They take 8 waking hours. Aside from sleep, the only thing that we devote more time to is child-rearing.
It doesn’t matter how much you make or what line of work you’re in, you know this all too well. You work a lot, just like Sen. X and Dr. Y.
So how come you’re still Mr. or Ms.
Or nothing at all?
Perhaps we should pick our own titles, as we merge with our professions. Coach Cliff or Scribe Flamer. (please use Scr. for business correspondence. Actually, I prefer Scr. Fresh Flame to be honest.)
The better option would be to nix titles altogether, when outside of work.
We’re having trouble connecting with each other as it is — class is already a problem — we don’t need more barriers.
Besides, we already kicked ‘Mrs.’ and ‘Miss’ to the curb, so…
‘Mr.’ and ‘Ms.’ are shortly to follow, no? And why shouldn’t they be? What’s the point, honestly, of holding on to old ideas?
Your name is the part that matters. There are stories in there, truths compressed like flowers in a scrapbook, the lives of loved ones packed inside. That’s how want to discover you: by unfolding a layer at a time.
So, please, make it easy for me.
Let’s ditch the misleading shortcuts.
And really show ourselves.