Like bourgeois kryptonite,a genteel smile or a smug ‘Thank you!’ paralyses our ability to thing to disgraceful rudenessThe travel writer Bill Bryson has caused consternation with his announcement that the British middle classes are behaving disgracefully. Mr Bryson was in a Lake District cafe, and saw a customer in expensive walking gear who had spent about £20; she paid her bill and set something in the tip jar. He walked over and saw that she had set in one measly 10p coin.
He says that it is better not to give a tip at all, and rather than leave such an insultingly small amount – and asks: “Am I erroneous or is this becoming a feature of British life,behaving in quietly disgraceful ways when you think no one is watching?”Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com