Moving parts in rubbing contact require lubrication to avoid excessive wear. Honorifics and formal politeness provide lubrication where people rub together. Often the very young, the untravelled, the naive, the sophisticated deplore these formalities as 'empty,' 'meaningless,' or 'dishonest,' and scorn to use them. No matter how 'pure' their motives, they thereby throw sand into machinery that does not work too well at best.
Robert A. HeinleinNever appeal to a man's 'better nature.' He may not have one. Invoking his self-interest gives you more leverage.
Robert A. HeinleinAny government will work if authority and responsibility are equal and coordinate. This does not insure โgoodโ government, it simply insures that it will work. But such governments are rare โ most people want to run things, but want no part of the blame. This used to be called the โbackseat driverโ syndrome.
Robert A. Heinlein