or it could be a means to communally help each other. not applicable in the case of lyft, but for cash tips, it has the added benefit for being stealthily tax free (except for waitstaff). Each dollar that goes horizontally between the "lower class" gets to work one step harder within the "lower class" to go before being sucked away by the wealthy.

> Each dollar that goes horizontally between the "lower class" gets to work one step harder within the "lower class" to go before being sucked away by the wealthy

This is an interesting point, and reminds me in a way of the Bristol Pound (and other "community currencies") which are essentially the same as regular Pounds Sterling, but are only accepted by locally-owned businesses within a local geographical area (more specifically: anyone can accept them, but only locals can ever exchange them back to Pounds Sterling, at a pegged 1:1 rate). Local branches of mutli-national corporations, and public (listed) companies, cannot participate.

Local residents can open an account in Bristol Pounds, and pay their local taxes in them. Some locals can be paid their salary in them.

The stated goal (and this has apparently worked quite well) is a localised economic stimulus, by encouraging residents to spend at local small businesses, and those businesses in turn to seek local suppliers, etc. This sees the money doing a few more rounds locally before being sucked away to a multinational.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jun/07/the-innovat...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Pound

Your comment is underrated. When rich people are not tipping, and only poor people who are in a position to understand what living off of tips means does such, something is wrong. The process of tipping is practically equivalent to playing the lottery - a huge majority of people who buy lottery tickets are poor or part of the lowest segment of the middle class.

Frankly, I just don't understand tipping. I still tip better than most people (20-30%) because I can afford it and know that their employer is fucking them over big time. Were I a millionaire, I'd probably stop tipping altogether as a sign of protest. It's strange how we justify either side of the coin.

You're on to something here. Consequently, it seems to be in the best interest of the affluent class to maintain the status quo, as it supports and furthers the divide.