Tipping culture is the least of our problems, lol, it's only an annoying mosquito bite we can bitch about collectively. I haven't bothered to look into how it started and why it's different from the rest of the world. Some do make a killing on tips, think high-end restaurant servers, bartenders, doorman in Manhattan, but even then it's a "long rise to the top", you've got to pay your dues for years.
But it's nothing compared to child rearing costs, healthcare, social safety nets. A kid is at least a grand a month, you are lucky if you can get them into a nice public school, it's impossible to book doctor appointments, and when you do, expect at least an hour wait before your BP is taken and then another 30 mins for the doc to come in for 5 and dismiss you. Dentists? Oh, "no sir, we don't take Aetna, nor United Healthcare. You can pay out of network and submit the invoice to your insurance provider". Crazy shit like that just builds up. You want progressive glasses at LensCrafters? It'll be $800.
This isn't going to change in my lifetime. I'm always perplexed when folks from developed countries want to move here and suffer through TSA level humiliation rigamarole at every level. Varies state by state though, some are nicer, and that's another PITA. I've moved three states over the last 5 years, each time new license plates, new registration fees, new inspections, FFS.
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Tipping culture is the least of our problems, lol, it's only an annoying mosquito bite we can bitch about collectively. I haven't bothered to look into how it started and why it's different from the rest of the world. Some do make a killing on tips, think high-end restaurant servers, bartenders, doorman in Manhattan, but even then it's a "long rise to the top", you've got to pay your dues for years.
But it's nothing compared to child rearing costs, healthcare, social safety nets. A kid is at least a grand a month, you are lucky if you can get them into a nice public school, it's impossible to book doctor appointments, and when you do, expect at least an hour wait before your BP is taken and then another 30 mins for the doc to come in for 5 and dismiss you. Dentists? Oh, "no sir, we don't take Aetna, nor United Healthcare. You can pay out of network and submit the invoice to your insurance provider". Crazy shit like that just builds up. You want progressive glasses at LensCrafters? It'll be $800.
This isn't going to change in my lifetime. I'm always perplexed when folks from developed countries want to move here and suffer through TSA level humiliation rigamarole at every level. Varies state by state though, some are nicer, and that's another PITA. I've moved three states over the last 5 years, each time new license plates, new registration fees, new inspections, FFS.