Discussion Main / MaamShock

This troper can most certainly confirm the suspicion expressed on the main page that "Ma'am Shock" is a regional phenomenon. Having grown up since the age of 10 on the West Coast, I can safely say the term "Ma'am" is never used. What's more, the word "Sir" is only used occasionally and that it is not all that uncommon for children to refer to their parents, neighbors or close family friends on a first name basis. This is not to say that the West Coast lacks courtesy, as much as the baseline for courtesy is set much lower than in areas such as the Southeastern or Midwestern United States. For this troper, going to college and meeting people from the South and Midwest was something of a culture shock. For example, I had no idea it was a common practice for students to take off hats when entering a classroom in some parts of the country.