Tipping Point

One thing that is against nature to the "Cheap Frenchman" I am is the "obligation" to tip. Btw it's funny how being a bad tipper has become a little like being homophobic or communist. It says something about you...yeah that you're a poor guy that enjoys eating out?
First of all let's talk about cabs.
I think they don't give it to me because of my accent but from what our NY friends report, you get called cheap if you don't tip 10% at the end of your ride!
I paid 71$ for a 25 minute ride from Newark airport and I should feel bad not tipping the guy? Someone even made a racist comment to one of our friends!
I just don't get that.

I am the 1st to agree that nice service at a restaurant should be rewarded. Now you yankees are going to love this, I went to dinner in the west village with friends and it all added up to 2 hundred something $. Don't get me wrong the service was great. We tipped 45$ to our waitress. Everyone tells me it's because they don't get paid much otherwise. Well I checked: the minimum wage in the food industry in NYC is 4.65$/hour. Not much but then again they don't require candidates hold a PhD...

You see where I come from we don't tip everyone, but only if the service is great (OK that's not very often). Although it still strikes me as odd that waiters and bartenders in NY often make thousands of $ a month.Our waitress that night made more an hour than I did. Maybe I should rethink career options and become a cab driver or waiter in NYC!

One more thing that i discovered about civilization is that in the year while we were gone people have decided to stop pickinp up their phones. It's interesting and in my view very revealing of an attitude. People want to be connected, to see what is going on in the world and among their friends' lives. But we don't want to be disturbed. Texts and emails are preferred since you can ignore them and respond what and when you want. It's easier to make up an excuse or lie in a text than on the phone.

I'm sounding old now (and getting there) but after we started communicating less because of phones at least we were still talking. Now it's reduced to a few words on a screen that basically anyone could have written. You don't really know who typed that message. I just take it very personally.
You can't even text back "don't call me anymore" so we both save some time?

While I understand people are busy and don't have time for much anymore I still think there's more to it than that. My generation is for the most part crazy scared of confrontation  (It might mean admitting you were WRONG). We do not want anyone to know we don't like them. Try confronting one of your friends next time you feel strongly about something. If you get the balls to do it you will realize how tough it is to have an actual conversation with someone.

That's a big problem when you think about it because you never know how people feel and nothing ever gets done. Whether it is the National Debt ceiling, the amount of the waiter's tip or something worse... Problems just keep being pushed to the side because we are to busy, life is too fast, short, and sweet to worry about these tough issues.

To finish off I'm going to be generous and give you a tip: If the service is bad don't be afraid to leave a bad tip, you're doing the guy a favor. By confronting him and letting him know he sucks you're probably going to increase his future earnings. That's how people get better, by putting themselves on the line.