I don't see how that is being a dick. He's right.
this post was submitted on 01 Oct 2025
125 points (97.0% liked)
History Memes
719 readers
1345 users here now
A place to share history memes!
Rules:
-
No sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, assorted bigotry, etc.
-
No fascism, atrocity denial or apologia, etc.
-
Tag NSFW pics as NSFW.
-
Follow all Piefed.social rules.
Banner courtesy of @setsneedtofeed@lemmy.world
founded 4 months ago
MODERATORS
Imagine you see a guy with broken limbs, asking you for help, and you go "NO! The government should be there to help you!" and walk away.
You're right on principle.
You're still being a dick.
You'd call the ambulance before walking away? I mean, I'm not a doctor, what else am I supposed to do?
What does this have to do with tipping?
That just suggesting they shouldn't need tips to live doesn't stop them from needing tips to live, while patrons continue to support the establishment that isn't paying the workers.
In Canada, tipping is entirely optional, but I still tip well because it's not actually service workers fault that they don't have an uncle Jimmy their dad has convinced to give them unique job opportunities. And people keeping getting meaner.
Yes it would be nice if we didn't live in a system that forces people to look to each other for scraps while others build yachts for their yachts, finding moral excuses to withhold money from the poorest.
You’d call the ambulance before walking away?
Yup. And, likewise, you should tip before the government fixes the employment market.
I really don't see the parallel here. Calling an ambulance for someone in need is a no-brainer. Also doesn't cost me anything.
But why should pick up the tab for the government failing to regulated some business and employers exploiting the lack of regulations?
Like, if there is no ambulance service in a specific region do you expect me to become an amateur EMT as well?
Like, if there is no ambulance service in a specific region do you expect me to become an amateur EMT as well?
Right, so what's your reaction when someone's on the ground like that and there's no ambulance service? Just tell him "shit luck, mate" and walk away?
load more comments
(2 replies)
But why should pick up the tab for the government failing to regulated some business and employers exploiting the lack of regulations?
If you disagree with the practice, then don't spend money at those businesses. Going to a tip-based restaurant and not tipping enriches the exploitative owner while adding to the exploitation.
Do you also think it's fine to buy cheap goods made with slave labor because you're not personally the one cracking the whip?
He's right, but he's not doing what he thinks he's doing.
Another moment in difficult nerd history
You can still be a dick even when you are right. He was punishing the worker out of principle. The worker is forced to participate in the system, it’s not their fault the tipping system exists. Yet he still paid the bill and thus rewarded the people that perpetuated the system.
Workers should be paid a fair wage from the start and tipping shouldn't be necessary. That much is true.
But when he knows that the system is the way it is, refusing to tip and trying to convince others not to tip isn't helping those workers get paid. That's being a dick.
load more comments
(2 replies)
Oupsie daisy, I spilled some Hot soup on you, sorry sorry!
(You're right though, but I still spilled hot soup on you)
He’s directly supporting the people benefiting from the exploitation of the workers while lowering their pay. The most generous explanation I can come up with is accelerationism, trying to incite the workers to strike, but that’s still a dick move.
"You're stuck in a system you shouldn't have to be in, so fuck you for that"
don't be a dick? Trotsky was right on this 100%
If Trotsky refused to go to those restaurants he would be right. By going he was effectively treating them as slaves by expecting unpaid labor as he knew that was their source of income.
where would you go to as a protest against tipping? where do they not force you to tip?
I tip when I go to places that expect tips because my stiffing individual wait staff isn't going to change anything. If I was going to 'protest' I would just boycott sit down restaurants. At this point I only go if someone else really wants to.
There are tons of place to get good food that doesn't involve tipping and I can just make food at home too. Counter service restaurants might have a pity jar for tips, but the business is still paying their staff and not expecting 95% of wages to come from that jar.
I tip when I go to places that expect tips because my stiffing individual wait staff isn’t going to change anything. If I was going to ‘protest’ I would just boycott sit down restaurants. At this point I only go if someone else really wants to.
I do the same today... I am just wondering if the same amount of choices was available in 1900 (which I doubt)
There are tons of place to get good food that doesn’t involve tipping
Today? hmmm I disagree
and I can just make food at home too
Absolutely which is what I do but again, not everybody is like us.
People were able to make food at home or get food from places that didn't involve sitting down and making tiped wait staff serve someone for free in 1900.
You don't have fast food, counter service locations, street vendors, or any of the other food sources that don't involve sitting down and being served by someone whose primary income comes from tips?
load more comments
(2 replies)
The employees deserve a fair wage, and it is fucked that the onus is on the customer to provide that directly. However, not tipping doesn't fix the issue, you are just taking free labor from the workers and not addressing rhe actual issue
load more comments
(8 replies)
On one hand, he’s being a dick; on the other, tipping culture persists because there’s a perception (and for some pretty waitresses a reality) that tipping pays far better than a living wage.
Because people are told to tip, and incessantly told to tip more.
5 tables an hour for three hours, $150 a table and 20% tip works out to 5x30x3 = $450. That’s a pretty good night, and it’s up and down, but cash is cash.
If someonees go to a restaurant and exploits free labor by refusing to tip because of their 'principles' then they are an asshole for abusing the employees who just did work for for free. Those who oppose tipping culture should not use tipping based services.
5 tables an hour for three hours, $150 a table and 20% tip works out to 5x30x3 = $450. That’s a pretty good night, and it’s up and down, but cash is cash.
While restaurants do exist that might have those kinds of numbers in large cities or well off areas, the vast majority of wait staff work at local and chain restaurants where tables are under $100 and they are working an 8 hour shift with plenty of downtime. Your example is the minority of servers that are vocal about keeping tips because they are attractive and have the best schedules.
then they are an asshole for abusing the employees who just did work for for free
For free? so they're not getting paid at all by their employer?
How about if workers are so angry that they will spill hot fucking soup on a patron, that they turn around and have a 'chat' with their boss?
And does America even provide enough 'non-tipping services' for that to be a viable option?
How about if workers are so angry that they will spill hot fucking soup on a patron, that they turn around and have a ‘chat’ with their boss?
Their boss fires them, their families starve, nothing fundamentally changes.
This is unskilled labor in early 20th century New York City.
And does America even provide enough ’non-tipping services’ for that to be a viable option?
Sure. The only places you're expected to tip are restaurants, and even then, only some 'sit-down' restaurants, not places with take-out.
Here's a tip: unionize.
That's not going to help the immediate problem of their family starving, and considering the lack of legal protections for unions at that time, may actually make it worse, which most of those workers would probably be unwilling to risk.
Those who oppose tipping culture should not use tipping based services.
That's a very US centric opinion. What about places like Canada, where waitstaff, just like every other profession, are entitled to the minimum wage? In Ontario, that's $17.50 an hour. I would argue that in such places, tipping should be entirely optional and seen as an added reward for good service, and forgoing a tip shouldn't be seen as "abusing the employees".
Tipping culture refers to having jobs where a significant or vast majority of their income is tips. Like 50%-95% of their income is tips, so tipping is expected. Tipping culture in the US is the culture where the meme takes place.
It is not referring to tipping as an option, which is what tipping should be.
You and I seem to have a different opinion on what Tipping culture means. To me, it means the practice of giving gratuities to service workers, which has turned into an expectation at most establishments, with the most recent development being the use of dark design to trick people into tipping more. Card readers now default the tipping prompts to 18%, 20% and 25% for "okay", "good", and "great" service. The option to skip a tip, even in places where you're just picking up the food, is hidden two menus deep. It also means the use of social desirability tactics to get people to tip more. To me, it means the culture around tipping as a whole, not just "having jobs where a significant or vast majority of their income is tips".
Businesses are trying to expand tipping culture into jobs that were not previously reliant on tips, and those are the steps on the way.
load more comments
(12 replies)
Seems like the principled thing to do would be not to give the establishment money in the first place.
load more comments
(5 replies)
Cue the Steve Buscemi speech.
Something you and the tankies have in common, a disdain for Trotsky lol
I generally don't take issue with Trots ideologically, it's the man himself who's a dick.
view more: next ›