Ep. 118 - The Snitch Economy: How Rating Apps and Tipping Pit Working People Against Each Other

Thank you for this. I was just talking to my wife about racism in tipping yesterday, so I feel some serious mystical synchronicity with y'all. I was telling her about when I was in college (~15 years ago) and I worked at a small Korean restaurant in Manhattan. It was "counter service" but I still brought food to anyone who dined in, bussed the tables, etc. People were "supposed to" bring their trays to the counter when done, but of course few did. I was the only person there other than the cooks who were all from Mexico and in the back, out of view of the customers like you talked about. The cokehead owner made me use a tip jar because it was "counter service" but he would show up occasionally yakked out of his mind and admonish me for the empty plates on the counter and the people waiting for their food, despite a line out the door. He would take cash out of the tip jar if there were too many plates on the counter. Anyway, naturally I became bitter at the customers who didn't tip, even though like you said it's the owner's fault, not their fault. The owner told me that "Asian people don't tip because of their culture." And whether or not this was even the case, I internalized this. For years, I would tip less when getting take out from chinese restaurants, justifying it by recalling my own experiences. It wasn't until I was 24 or so—as my mind was opening up more to the reality of the world—that I realized how racist that was, and that I was terrible for doing that. I considered myself "not racist" but I was still doing that shit. I regret this immensely and I feel guilty over it and wish I could go back in time and tip all those amazing asian cuisine workers what I should have. It was only a dollar or two here and there, a few percentage points, but I now realize how messed up that is. This episode really codified this for me so I thank you. The owner instilled in me such bitterness and nudged me to take it out on fellow workers instead of demanding that he simply place a sign that says "gratuity appreciated for dining in" and risk getting fired. My father was very conservative so I've had many realizations like this, and I have been trying to better myself for many years now. Your podcast has been essential in that, especially when you dive into an idea I have ruminated on previously. I appreciate you two very much. P.S. I tip everyone very well now regardless of race. The fact that I didn't before, even saying that out loud, it makes me hate myself, but it's the truth.

Because you did a humanities degree (specializing in semiotics) and it was the only way you could make a living? ;-)

Eoin O'Mahony

I was recruited by Panopto, and the name weirded me out. Why would you name an educational software company after a dystopian prison design?

Some of this I know started at least after reconstruction but the " tech economy" bothers me with this the most with sites and apps like Yelp and others. Its what I think is called capitalist survalleince and this is considered OK in our society because the logic goes , state tyranny is the greatest evil but private tyranny is the ultimate pinnacle of freedom.

Oh man, I hear that thing about Panopto. My partner is working at a university and preparing material using this set of tools. Not lost on her at all.

Eoin O'Mahony

https://libcom.org/files/Prole.Info-%20Abolish%20Restaurants.pdf

Cardboard

I’m gonna try and pool our tips at work see what my boss says

Alec

In addition to giving all the stars and saying so-and-so ...”gave incredible service they were kind, efficient and knowledgeable” I usually say something about how the survey that makes me responsible for spying on them so it lowers my opinion of the company in general because my time is precious and I’m being asked to fill out surveys gratis sometimes an hour a day. Also, the feedback from their employees about how the customers are treating them and about their suggestions and their working conditions is more valuable than any information that some random stranger off the street has to offer to their management. I also recently learned that when people fill out surveys, they are more likely to return to that company because surveys are an effective way of cheap advertising, which may be the ultimate reason for them. My best tips as a customer service or waitress was when I got added to the expense account at restaurants by customers who appreciated us and knew we didn’t earn enough to eat and pay rent. This was in the 1980s, it’s worse now I think. Also busboys and people who didn’t make much leaving a couple pennies on top, then hiding and watching you lift up a plate with all their dollars underneath. I try to pay back. Never snitch, unless someone is dangerous.