Leading Article: Scrooge vindicated
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.FOR ALL those who have ever felt guilty about being such mean tippers, help is at hand. Now it can be said out loud: the failure to tip shows you to be of sound mind - and that's official.
The league table published by the journal Personality and Individual Differences shows that Scandinavians are meanest of all. Stereotypes of Nordic neurosis and Bergman-style gloom are, it seems, inappropriate. The generous tippers are also the most neurotic (seeking approval and never quite finding it). By the same token, those who tip least have presumably reached a Zen-like peace with the world. Iceland must be the most centred country on earth; tips are so rare that Iceland fell off the bottom of the scale. The enthusiasm about tipping decreases, according to the report's author, "with national levels of psychoticism".
Surely, skinflints need no more perfect excuse. They can insist on getting the last 15p back off a pounds 50 restaurant bill, while asking: "Who do you think I am? Hannibal Lecter?" And any would-be recipients of tips who are alarmed by a psychotic customer can always comfort themselves with the thought that (if they survive the evening without being skinned alive) at least the gratuities may be abundant.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments