[snogglethorpe]

> I know a lot of people with PhDs, but I can't think of any who want to be called "Doctor", because that's exceedingly silly. I know it works a bit differently outside of the US.

Yes, I've noticed a very strong correlation between country and insistence on using a title conferred by a PhD. Americans do in general seem fairly relaxed about it.

[prewett]

Americans see everyone as equal in status (in theory); in paragraph two of our first document, we say that it is, in fact, self-evident that all men are created equal. Since we are all equal, titles don't really serve much purpose, as the whole point of titles is to distinguish yourself.

[dragonwriter]

"are created equal" means a very different thing than "are equal".

Even Americans who really do believe that all people are created equal (which any discussion thread on any major forum -- including HN -- on gender or race issues, among other topics, will reveal is far from all Americans) rarely believe that all people are equal.

[rational_indian]

>we say that it is, in fact, self-evident that all men are created equal.

How is this self evident?

[pseut]

That phrase is from the Declaration of Independence, one of the US's founding documents:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transc...

[icambron]

The nature of self-evidence is that you don't have to say how.

(Though I'm not sure I agree with the parent point that Americans as a group really believe equality in the relevant sense here.)

[Turing_Machine]

The social rule I was taught (in the U.S.) is that if you have a PhD in whangabangology, it's okay to call yourself "Dr. Blah" or "Joe Blah, PhD" in a professional context (writing a paper on whangabangology, or teaching it, or giving a professional talk, or appearing at an official university function), but not in a social context (making a restaurant reservation, say, or being introduced to someone at a party).

Professional usage varies a lot by institution. Where I went to grad school, undergraduates usually use "Doctor" or "Professor" when addressing a member of the faculty, but graduate students usually call the professors that they actually know by their given names. I understand that's not the case everywhere; at some schools even grad students who have worked with a professor for years are still expected to address them by title. I have heard (but have not personal knowledge one way or the other) that the University of Chicago is one of these.