Tipping "Tips" Interpersonal Equilibrium, Causing Misunderstandings and Rancor

Dear Fellow Earthlings,

The culture of tipping -- at least in the United States -- has gotten out of hand. Two friends of mine were at a concert recently and bought some sweatshirts with the logos of the group whose music they had come to the concert to listen to were printed.

My friends had told the clerk which sweatshirts they wanted and what sizes they wanted. The clerk said, "Just fill this out and you''ll be good to go." The clerk handed them his cell phone -- and it asked them FOR A TIP!

There was a "request" on the cell phone screen:

"Please choose the tip you want to pay:

10%, 20%, 30%..."

The clerk had merely grabbed the sweatshirts, set them on the table, and that was that! He was asking for a tip -- when he hadn't really done anything. So, of course, my two friends paid no tip!

When one is "squeezed" to leave a tip -- when a tip is extorted out of you, it is not a tip! Rather, it is a very taxing tax!!

Now that people in America seems to think that American culture must address the needs of each and every national/ethnic group, the problem of tipping becomes even more destabilizing. People from various parts of the worldwide cultural spectrum (with its wide rangeof opinions about what constitutes a "fair" tip) have found themselves considering whether tipping should or should not be a part of business transactions...

This is why I no longer tip. If anyone tries to extort a tip from me, kee will soon learn of my resolute decision to stop tipping. When someone is working, that person must absolutely insist that kerm employer pay kerm a living wage.

When all is said and done, tips should not "pay an employee's bills" Workers shouldn't rely on something that is optional!

In the interests of improving interpersonal relationships, let's perform our services at a stipulated rate. Let the free market determine how much we should be paid.

Otherwise, any job where a service is performed will necessitate a tip. Tipping a nurse for drawing blood, tipping a pilot for flying you to your destination, tipping a farmer for selling you 3 tomatoes, tipping Steve Walker for writing a blog...

The list is endless.

(Furthermore, despite the fact that I personally care what other people feel, I must not fill their pockets at the expense of my own financial solvency.)

Steve Walker

Earthsaver and Jingles Creator

© 2013 Steve Walker, The Jingles-The Japan Foundation for English Pronunciation, Summit Enterprises.