It's Mr. Pepper to Me

When a person gives themselves a nick name we tend to hate them. We think they are being self involved, and no one likes a person conceded about there cleverness...unless they do it in a charming-awareness-of-the-stupidity-of-it kind of a way. So why is it that we, as a society, are expected to use the title of "doctor" on so many people?

"Please call me Dr. Willingham."

"Actually, it's Dr. Huffinpuff."

"I do not know of a Mrs. Shelly Johnston, but I do know a Dr. Shelly Johnston."

Really? You are demanding I call you doctor. It is considered a sign of respect to use the title when talking about or addressing people whom have received their doctorate degree in any given field of study. While this may be an accomplishment that many people will never achieve, it in no way deserves a special title. Why not create a title for those whom have climbed Mt. Everest, or for those whom have finished the "Ole 96er"?

The reason we do not create a title for those select few people is the same reason I do not respect the title "Doctor": I didn't choose for these people to do what they have done.

I never told these people to go to school for 12 years. It was not my choice to have these people commit themselves to a certain field in a manner that would commit their life to it. These people with doctorates are impressive for committing themselves to a field of study for so long, but that's as far as it goes. I respect you, but I'm not in respect with you.

I am sure that with in the community of doctors many doctors look down upon other doctors in lesser known fields. Do surgeons look down on dentist? Medical doctors down on Psychological doctors? Regular doctors down on diet doctors? They may taste the same, but they got their degree online. Doctor's have a saying, "a doctorate from Devry is the degree clip-on tie."


I'm not going to lie. I call these people "Doctor" all of the time. I hate it. But you know what I hate more? I hate dieing on their surgical table. Oh yeah. They'll do it. Well, maybe not. But I'm not chancing it.