Re: a possible history of tipping

From: Martin Owen (mowen@rem.bangor.ac.uk)
Date: Wed Aug 22 2001 - 02:56:45 PDT


Diane writes:
>
>just a thought on towards historical practice, European, and all -
>certainly slave trades and sex trades are related with colonialism -
>those relations of women and designated slaves are universal...
>hmmmmmmmmmm
>diane

This would presume that sex was the first social interchange to be
commodified and engender exchange value. I may be wrong but I suspect
assigning exchange value to food and protection (" if you pay me I won't
hit you" or "if you support me I will make sure that the goddesses don't
smite you with thunder and lightening") would come first.
Why are there expectations of implicit commodification of service in
certain transactions and not others. Does anyone tip flight attendants? If
rationality was to dictate events you follow Rob's experience in Butlins
(and sometimes nouveau riche and mafiosi in the movies) you tip before you
receive the service to get preference in comparison to others... and there
is more where that came from.

As a north Briton, my early recollections of tipping where christmas gifts
to those who performed a regular service: postmen, garbage men and milk
delivery men (we have doorstep milk delivery in the UK). In anticipation
of these receipts, people in this type of work have an assumed income from
them and they are taxed in the UK. There is also a request to the barman
to "have one yourself" which more or less maps onto the experience Rob
relates to ensure that the bartender will offer you preferrential service
in a crowded pub. Restaurant tipping has been learned in relatively recent
times from continental Europe.

Martin Owen
Labordy Dysgu- Learning Lab
Prifysgol Cymru Bangor- University of Wales, Bangor



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