My name is Jones. Dr. Jones.

[robnplunder]

I was waiting to tee off on a very upscale golf course. There was an elderly gentlemen (will use Jones as his name to protect his identity ) waiting ahead of me, putting around on practice green. A starter comes to him to let him know he's next up on tee. The starter addressed him as Mr. Jones and the gentleman quickly snaps back "Dr. Jones" as if to say "that's Dr. Jones to you, young man." He was quite serious, too. Is this a case of ego or someone who can't let go his pre-retirement identity?

 

[Keim]

Given the age disparity, I suspect it was a respect issue. I have a standard answer for that. Great, Dr..... I also worked hard to earn a title. Please call me Master Keim.

Always stops'm cold.

 

[ERhoosier]

Ego

 

[Pleeplus]

Sounds like ego to me.....did you ask if he was a Proctologist??

 

[braumeister]

My response would have been "Are you a real doctor, or just a physician?"

 

[Meadbh]

Dr. Jones needs to get over himself. Unfortunately there are too many narcissists in medicine. Assuming he is/was a medical doctor, that is.

 

[robnplunder]

Dr. Jones needs to get over himself. Unfortunately there are too many narcissists in medicine. Assuming he is/was a medical doctor, that is.

I assume he was a medical Dr. He didn't look nerdy to me - no offense to Ph Ds in this forum. ( I know you are there, too proud to announce yourselves . )

 

[JoeWras]

I require people to address me by "Maestro Joe".

 

[foxfirev5]

Another reason to avoid upscale situations, if at all possible.

 

[Donzo]

He was probably just a Dentist too......


(Hangover movies )

 

[mn54]

He was probably just a Dentist too......


(Hangover movies )

OUCH. You mean he wasn't a REAL doctor. That also explains why he was alone. Dentists have no friends.

 

[MichaelB]

Maybe he is just tired of being mistaken for his idiot twin brother named Mr. Jones.

It's funny, because when I moved to Venezuela, people were customarily addressed as "Dr.", especially in the public sector. This puzzled me for a long time until I finally got an explanation from a co-worker. Basically, the thinking was "any idiot can get a University degree and be a Doctor in this town". Instead of being a term of accomplishment, it was a backhanded compliment.

 

[ls99]

A while back there was a movement afoot in Germany to only address MDs as Doctor. Don't know what became of it.

Way back when I w*rked with boatloads of Phds only upon introductions we called them Doctors, in house just used first names.

 

[robnplunder]

Dr as backhanded compliment? Chuckle.

It goes without saying that respect is earned, not told. I know when service people (golf course, restaurants) call me Mr. Robnplunder, they are doing so b/c they were told to or to get a better tip. I am no Tiger Wood, or the guy who leaves $5000 tip (yeah, I've heard the news reports on this).

 

[marko]

Another reason to avoid upscale situations, if at all possible.

I try to avoid downscale situations, if at all possible but suspect that the ratio of nice people to rude people is about the same wherever you go.

 

[braumeister]

when I moved to Venezuela, people were customarily addressed as "Dr.", especially in the public sector.

In Brazil, it's also common (although not quite as much as it used to be) to address people as Doctor regardless of their profession. It was simply one step up in respect from Mister. Typically, a mature professional in any field could be addressed this way.

One exception would be addressing an engineer as "Engineer Jones" and another would be someone with an actual Ph D, who would be called "Professor" (not Doctor). Confusing to foreigners, but it works for them.

I'm told it was a hangover from the days when Brazil was a Portuguese colony. Portugal still uses this custom.

 

[ggbutcher]

I only insist when I can further prepend it with "The Evil", as in "The Evil Dr. Butcher"...

 

[steelyman]

Maybe he is just tired of being mistaken for his idiot twin brother named Mr. Jones.

.

Maybe it's about that old Bill Clinton classic: "Me and Mrs. Jones"?

 

[FireBug]

OUCH. You mean he wasn't a REAL doctor. That also explains why he was alone. Dentists have no friends.

You my friend, are an anti-dentite. (Sienfeld)

 

[prof12]

I have a doctorate in educational administration from a fine (and accredited) university. I earned it over 30 years ago, and it meant something to me as a personal and professional accomplishment. People used it as a sign of respect and I never corrected those who used "Mr." instead. Some of my colleagues and fellow classmates were livid and refused to acknowledge people, if they were not called "Dr.".

I could care less about using "Dr." and, in fact, try to avoid it with tradesmen and repair people as the term usually increases the price for services since they think I'm a rich physician instead of a poor educator!!!!!
prof12

 

[steelyman]

This should be a "Dad" story. My father used to joke about he was the only one in the family without an advanced degree (true).

Then he'd sit back and say, "But I made all the money".

 

[Mulligan]

I have a doctorate in educational administration from a fine (and accredited) university. I earned it over 30 years ago, and it meant something to me as a personal and professional accomplishment. People used it as a sign of respect and I never corrected those who used "Mr." instead. Some of my colleagues and fellow classmates were livid and refused to acknowledge people, if they were not called "Dr.".

I could care less about using "Dr." and, in fact, try to avoid it with tradesmen and repair people as the term usually increases the price for services since they think I'm a rich physician instead of a poor educator!!!!!
prof12

Appears to me then that you are deserving of being called "Dr.". In my area, the ones who needed to be called it were the ones least deserving and most insecure. I worked for some good superintendents and I would let them have it with their "Dr." title. Amongst other cheap shots I would occasionally walk into a meeting complaining about my hip or back then asking "Dr." for a script. Only to quickly say, "I'm sorry, I keep forgetting you are not a real doctor".


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[youbet]

I have a doctorate in educational administration from a fine (and accredited) university. I earned it over 30 years ago, and it meant something to me as a personal and professional accomplishment. People used it as a sign of respect and I never corrected those who used "Mr." instead. Some of my colleagues and fellow classmates were livid and refused to acknowledge people, if they were not called "Dr.".

I could care less about using "Dr." and, in fact, try to avoid it with tradesmen and repair people as the term usually increases the price for services since they think I'm a rich physician instead of a poor educator!!!!!
prof12

Good job prof12! I can't stand referring to academic PHd's as "Dr." I did it decades ago as a student rather than face the crap the ego-freaks would have rained down on me. But today, no way, not even when asked to in formal circumstances.

I even refer to my MD by his first name. He's 20 yrs younger than me and likely hasn't accomplished as much as I in life. And he's never flinched when I've done so. I do allow him to refer to me by my first name as well.

 

[robnplunder]

I have a doctorate in educational administration from a fine (and accredited) university. I earned it over 30 years ago, and it meant something to me as a personal and professional accomplishment. People used it as a sign of respect and I never corrected those who used "Mr." instead. Some of my colleagues and fellow classmates were livid and refused to acknowledge people, if they were not called "Dr.".

I could care less about using "Dr." and, in fact, try to avoid it with tradesmen and repair people as the term usually increases the price for services since they think I'm a rich physician instead of a poor educator!!!!!
prof12

I am glad you are taking this thread well . I meant no disrespect to poor professors or rich physicians. I just think that trying to force someone you never met to address you as Dr (no matter what the circumstance is) is somewhat out of line in this day and age (AND in Northern California). If it were between patients and physicians, professors and students/colleagues, I wouldn't think anything of it.

 

[Meadbh]

I am glad you are taking this thread well . I meant no disrespect to poor professors or rich physicians. I just think that trying to force someone you never met to address you as Dr (no matter what the circumstance is) is somewhat out of line in this day and age (AND in Northern California). If it were between patients and physicians, professors and students/colleagues, I wouldn't think anything of it.

What about rich professors or poor physicians? They do exist, you know.