What is the proper way to address a noun with a pronoun with Satoshi and others

[Charles-Tim]

---snipped---

I do not have any merit left, I should have given your post merit. I thought 'it' can be used for anonymous person but as Pmalek posted too, 'they'/'them' would be more appropriate. But as Satoshi is a masculine name, using 'he' is also appropriate.

[Mpamaegbu]

Charles-Tim, it's the same way (this time) I feel social etiquette condemns the use of "Sir" on social media sites like we have here. I've read it even here where users termed it that it's disrespectful to say sir. I believe the reason for that won't be far from the fact that online users are often faceless and one may not be certain the gender of the person being addressed too like what happens with the use of an appropriate pronoun. Again, even when you know the gender; you could be addressing someone you're way older than. I find it irritating when people I think I'm younger than or in the same age bracket address me as sir. I tag it hypocrisy. So, I tend to be more circumspect dealing with people on that too. I simply address people without the "sir" appendage.

However, if I happen to meet someone I know offline on social media I make sure I retain that respect of addressing them appropriately. I can't lose my home training because I want to be woke 🧐. If I know someone is older than I am, I won't drag using it. Except they don't fancy it, and many people don't even fancy it this day.

[Pmalek]

<Snip>

Sir isn't needed in any way. No one here is a "sir". We are random internet users that have gathered on a forum to discuss Bitcoin.

"Sir" was something I often encountered working with people from Asia and Africa (not as common as in Asia though). It's part of Asian culture not to look you directly into the eyes as a sign of respect. But in Europe, it's the exact opposite. It's disrespectful not to look at the person you talk to. You have a conflict of cultures there.

I was called "sir" quite a lot by Asians and noticed that's how they address white people most of the time. It honestly made me uncomfortable because you are putting yourself down in the process. If we are all equal, why are you giving my a title because I am white and you make it sound like I am better than you? The non-eye contact was also hard for me to get used to. From far away, I imagined it looked like the big and strong white man was barking orders at the less important Asian person.   

[aysg76]

Most of the people here use he whenever they have to say something about Satoshi and there are some assumptions according to his writing and the known one's which tells about his indentity.

We sometimes use they,them which is also fine as showing respect and gratitude towards single person or group of persons but i would say that we can use any term we feel suitable as the mystery stills remain undisclosed.But i feel we should be more focusing on other aspects of bitcoin development and future plans rather than solving the mystery to unreveal his indentity.

This is internet World and we don't know gender of the person we are interacting here so do we care? We usually address them with name only and use he/she as per we feel about him/her so this is all delusion and we should leave it.

We all are Satoshi's and and bitcoiners who have faith in it and he/she doesn't matter here in the end.

[Mpamaegbu]

<Snip>

Sir isn't needed in any way. No one here is a "sir". We are random internet users that have gathered on a forum to discuss Bitcoin.

I addressed such a situation in my last paragraph in the quoted. If I met any user I addressed as Sir in reality online I won't lose my respect for them by dropping that appendage. I will still address then as sir. It's part of the African culture. We hardly address older people by their first names like they do in Europe. "Sir" is often used in a formal setting for someone you know is older or an office boss. I've people use it on me a lot, especially those I tutor and mentor. I've yo confess that this gets uncomfortable for me too whenever age mates or those older than I am use it. Even when you get to tell them to drop it; some still revert to using it.

If we are all equal, why are you giving my a title because I am white and you make it sound like I am better than you?

In Africa, the "Sir" is not like a title as they have it in Europe with the Knight stuff. And nope, it has got nothing to do with your race as white. It's a cultural practice in Africa as a mark of respect, not of fear. The same person saying "sir" to you can also show you "strong thing" when you mess around them or overreach yourself if you think they're timid. Saying "Sir" isn't a sign of weakness in anyway. While I can easily pass off non-eye contact thing as timidness, certainly not the use of "Sir".

[lionheart78]

Perhaps the "they" is too much ( SN has always presented itself as a single person and not as a group of people).

No?  "They" is not too much.  It is enough and the most appropriate to address an unknown gender.
By pronoun Rule On Gender-sensitive Communication:
It was stated to avoid gendered pronouns (he or she) when the person’s gender is unknown [1]

When using a gendered pronoun (e.g. he or she), the speaker is assuming the gender of the person they are talking about. Often people use gendered pronouns even when they do not know the gender of the person they are talking about or when talking about a group of people that could be of either gender.

This practice perpetuates gender stereotyping by repeating commonly held expectations about the gender of people in certain roles.

Instead you should use gender-neutral language. A common way to do this is to use the plural ‘they’. This is becoming more and more common in standard English.

[1] https://eige.europa.eu/publications/gender-sensitive-communication/challenges/stereotypes/avoid-gendered-pronouns-he-or-she-when-persons-gender-unknown