To think we should get rid of all titles - Sir, Lord, Ms, Master, Prince etc.

[Ohfuckrucksack]

No more Lords, no more Sirs, no fretting about Ms, Mrs or Miss and definitely get rid of Master, Prince etc.

I listen to the radio with them having to insert the 'Sir' and 'Lord' before people's names as though these titles make them more important people.

Have we not gone beyond honorifics? Most of these people have done very little to deserve their extra titles and some are actively harmful individuals.

I am still pondering on the Dr title for medics - because that is a professional title rather than honorary but wouldn't use it for those with PHDs.

My title is Lady muck muck of the mucky monsters thank you very much.

I worked damn hard for my PhD so no, I wouldn't do away with that, or for any other earned titles. And as someone else has already said - medics use it as an honorary title, and once they are retired are no longer "Dr". More senior doctors such as surgeons etc don't use Dr, they revert to Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms/whatever.
I've always thought that the female title changing depending on marriage was ridiculous, so Ms for any female - equivalent to Mr for any male would be my choice, and is what I use if Dr isn't an option. I think it is no-one's business whether I am married or not.
However, I had a similar discussion with my mother and she stated that she was proud of the fact she was married, and wanted to use Mrs!

I did my postdoc in a world renowned institution with an egalitarian intellectual ethos.

The use of the title Dr was thought redundant, as it was presumed that all academics had a PhD. Mostly everyone was on a first name basis, although formally and with undergraduates we were Mr Smith and Ms Jones. I thought it was great.

OP, YANBU

Those with PHDs - do you expect other people to use your title? Is that just professionally or in private life as well?

What would you do if people refused or said 'well you're not a real doctor' - because many people would think that way

This.

I'd like to get rid of all titles and just use names.

I'd happily see a price list for honours:

£3k for an MBE, going up to 7 figures for a peerage.

It'd end up with broadly the same people, and show how corrupt the whole system is.

I think Sir Beckham had to pay a bit more than that @Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies

The title, Doctor used to mean 'learned' scholar' that is, someone who has completed the highest level of study. It was originally only conferred on people who had Phd's, philosophers, etc not medics. Medics were originally called 'Physicians', however, univeristy trained medics began receiving medical doctorates so they could legitimately use the title Dr which many other professions were already using. Later on medical degrees changed from MD to MBBS instead of a doctorate, so these are normal Bachelor degrees but out of courtesy to the profession, the title Dr stayed, even though they dont actually earn doctorates any more and an MBBS is not academically equivalent to a Phd or DBA.

So if anyone has the right to use the 'Dr ' title, its actually the other way round of what you are thinking.

Since I have had permanent academic posts following the nirvana of that postdoc, students have tended to use ‘Dr’ but I really don’t care.
If you need to invoke your title to command respect something is wrong

Prince did rid of his own name 😂

@LadeOde Thank you - I didn't know that. I know the difference between Dr and Mr - medic and surgeon (because the Drs considered the early surgeons little more than barbers/butchers and said they couldn't join their club - presumably because they were not 'learned scholars')

I use Dr if I'm asked for a title. If I'm referred to as Mrs or Ms I don't correct them.

On the very odd occasion someone has been rude enough to tell me I'm not a real doctor I've put them straight. Because I am.

At a medical appointment recently I was asked by the consultant what type of doctor I was. When I said academic, he replied 'ah so you're the only real doctor in the room'.

Only ignorant people think I'm "not a real Dr", and I don't have time to correct all the misinformation that ignorant people believe, or energy to care about them preferring ignorance.

Most people just call me by my first name and that's fine. In the rare cases where it's formal enough to use a title, my title is Dr, but that doesn't happen much - though the SMS texts from my GP reminding me of appointments etc all start Dear Dr (Surname)

After school I worked for a year in a country where it is against the law to use the old titles of the deposed monarchy. I spent several evenings helping my boss stick address labels on mail-shot envelopes for the family business. I saw several ‘his/her imperial highness’ ones.

I don't introduce myself as Dr or expect people to use it when referring to me though.

Thanks for the bunch of flowers! Hope they are daffs.

Would you prefer everyone went by comrade?
No one is forcing you to call them Lord, you dont have to..

Isn’t Mrs the equivalent of Mr, with Ms introduced later? Boys would have been Master, not Mister, similar to how in Germany all women would be Frau?

If titles were necessary, I’d prefer Mrs to ms for all women. My preference is to be referred to by my first name, though.

Absolutely agree with you. Republican to my very bones ✊
All honorífics, get rid of the House of Lords (replace, as the concept of a 2nd chamber is impt) and totally get religion out of politics and education. It has no place in either.

@sripppps No comrade or sister/brother would be equally bad.

I do wonder if I am obliged to call all the Lords and Ladies by their titles or if I can just ignore it.

Will I end up in the tower?

@Ohfuckrucksack How do you think you'd be obliged?

Well I am British so by the power of the Paddington stare or the excruciatingly painful silence I would expect - or maybe both!!

I have a PhD, and beyond having it on my cv, I don't use it. And the cv doesn't matter any more, as I've retired.

Totally agree OP. Two examples spring to mind-
SIR Phillip Green
LORD Mandelson. Need I say more …

We don’t need Titles. They are just people, like us. There are OBEs etc to honour outstanding achievements - quite right , but LORDSHIPS are given away by politicians - for what ? Dubious..
we pay them £30k plus a year - for what ?
holding up the assisted dying bill seems to be one of their jobs. 😡

I have never experienced someone telling me I am not a real Dr. Does that actually happen in real life?

I would expect someone to use it if they were referring to me in a way that demands a title, but that rarely happens in my life outside of academic settings.