Hmmm…Two things. We’re in a democracy and we depend on each other. Recall John Donne’s Meditation 17, “No man is an island…” I agree that tipping culture is confusing and frustrating. But tip jars are out because big money makes it very difficult for people at the bottom of the economic ladder to grab the first rung. The official national minimum is still $7.25 and hasn’t budged for decades primarily because one political party favors Plantation Economics. So don’t tip at the coffee shop or do but be conscious of the people who wait tables because their minimum is lower than the standard because it assumes tipping. Most importantly, get involved in the debate about the minimum and about the false promise of the Plantation Economy.