I am sorry, but, if it was only a courtesy, why would people not STOP calling me Madam if I ask them not to? Instead, most people would call you Madam even more if you ask them. If it was not spite, only a courtesy, then you should be able to stop it. I think you are lying and hiding the truth.
Don't lie to me, I lived through the 90s and 80s though I was only a child at the time and nobody used to call the young ladies or young men
"Madam" "Lady" or "Sir" "Gentlemen". At any rate, one must be able to see that it IS a ridiculous word for young people and it is hurting many people. In UK, people even call little children now "Madam" "Sir" and it is horrible.
It is not only the words, there used to an atmosphere that from old people to young people, they adore you like their own son and daughter, and between young people, a kind of cool casual air that so young and vibrant and happy. I think that is more ideal. Nowadays the young people (from 20 to under 50) talk like grandpas.
I also remember people saying without "Madam" or "Lady" usually, such as,
when parents talk to their children "Move over here so she can get pass." instead of "Let the lady pass".
I agree with what "BadaBingBang" said, you CAN actually say and have conversation without saying Madam, Sir, and it does not sound rude.
Nobody would find it rude. If it is rude, WHY would old people over 50 look angry when I do address them Sir/Madam? I do that out of respect to old people, because I think that old people should be respected, but, I do not think it is an appropriate word for young people.
I think that the words or the words that addressing somebody represent the culture. I see at the supermarkets old men over 50 wearing tight T-shirt with animated character on it with big headphone on their heads, and trying to flirt with me. They dress up and act like teenagers, which I do not even do that. Because I think that it is more pleasant to be a proper young person, I do not have to mimic the teenagers who are only children of under 20. That would be pathetic.
The world is clearly going crazy.
I try to be as friendly and casual as possible when I go to shops and say "Hi, Girl" or "Hi, Love" if they look not over 50. I think that being 40 or 49 is way too young to be considered as an old person.
If you can not be sure about the border line of young and old, look up the bible. (the Numbers) One can contradict a human, but can not contradict God, and the bible suggests that people over 50 are old people and a person should expect to die when they reach 100. (Jacob's story)
You can NOT consider someone as an old person who has not lived even a half of life time yet.
I wish I could see more charismatic old people over 50, rather than old people in teen clothes. I remember my grandfather and grandmother was so affectionate and warm and really nice old people, NEVER calling the young people with over-polite terms. My grandma would call a 40 yr-old young woman as "My dear girl" and if she is a nice person who can respect the elders she would not be angry to those words.
My grand parents were loved and respected by so many people until the end of their lives.
There is clearly another kind of happiness as an old person and people today do not realise it and missing the big part of their life!
I think it is all to do with the ideal way of relationships in life, the children, the young, the old, the parents, etc.
We should start looking for what is the ideal way of life as a human being, and try to find a way not to hurt each other.
There is no such thing as an "Ageless" world. People born and die. That's life. Life is not about living forever on the earth, it is about what kind of life you live, if you lived a decent life, and you have no regrets.
We can NOT pass this vicious current culture that biting each other's head off, to the children. We must find a way. And it starts, when STOP trying to make the young people as the same as the old people.