Yeah, insisting on honorifics from staff is asinine. I am Bret to staff, admin, colleagues and friends; Dr. Devereaux to students (and I guess readers I don't know?). The odd grey area is professional contacts (journalists, etc), but they tend to default to formal, so 
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Tämä twiitti ei ole saatavilla.
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I know many of my wife's colleagues who do insist on the honorific do so because so many people assume they don't belong.
Yeah, I absolutely understand why many scholars with different backgrounds from me might want to insist on their honorific in a professional or public space. And that's their right, they've earned it! I have no negative judgement there. I'll happily honor their usage.