>

It has everything. Because people elect others to power based on their own values. If they see no value in helping others in need, they won't elect people or try and change the system to fix that issue.
Honestly, it feels like you see the tip line on things, and are assuming that means "this is a socially acceptable place to tip, and all tips are 15-20%."
Let's talk about a coffee for a second.  Previous to credit cards being ubiquitous, there was a tip jar, but if you put anything into it at all, it was expected to be "I don't want to carry loose change around" rather than 15-20%.  Then, credit cards took off, and almost nobody paid with cash, so credit card companies added a way to add a tip there.
Yes, restaurants are a "required" tip of 15-20% when eating in due to special wages.  But I'll be honest, I have no idea who gets the money if you order to go, so I rarely tip for that (the exception is places I want to support extra.)
The only other real "required" tip is delivery, because it is often using their vehicle and gas and another low rate.
Everything else you mentioned isn't required in the slightest...it's just an option that is visible because most people don't use cash anymore. >

The required tip is 10%. That is the assumed tip that they are taxed on as income so they lose money if you don't tip at least 10%. The 15% minimum tip is the result of a very effective social media campaign by all the servers in the world. In the 80s and 90s anything above 12% was above and beyond. Source: I'm old and used to wait tables. >

I mean this in the best of ways, but the world has changed drasticaly and the standards, at least where I have lived, have changed drastically, where 10% is a "you did poorly, but I understand I shouldn't completely shaft you" tip. >

I hear what you're saying about 10%, but to bend this further, tipping suggestions increasing recently past 15% (like when the machine says 18/22/25) are IMHO ridiculous. The tip increases with the item cost increasing, padding the % is just superfluous. >


You do any service on a car? That's a tip

That isn't a thing.

You want to get tour car hand washed? That's a tip.

It is? Detailing is a service at my local car wash and I've never been asked for a tip.
Edit: Does dining out in the US cost more (including the 18% tip) than dining out in Europe? >

I feel like most of these tipping-alarmist posts are written by people who somehow think you have to tip in way more places than you actually do. >

I tip at sit-down restaurants and my barber.  That is it. >

Do you not order food delivery or do you not tip when you do? >

I don't order delivery. >


It's insane to have to pay 15-20% more for everything that involves a human doing it which is just about anything you don't do yourself,

You don't have to tip though.  
You are not forced in any way to do so.  
You are knowingly reducing how much money that person will take home, but you are not required to tip. There is no Department of Labor that will come after you for not tipping. >

Because emotional and moral blackmail is totally not a thing.
The employer intentionally put the employee in that position.  You are the villain if you don't tip. You are hurting the person. The boss gets off scott free. That's the problem. >

I agree - but no one put a gun to your head and made you go to a restaurant. >

Yeah, fuck people going out to try different food or have a night out. Who do they think they are, expecting to pay only what's on the bill. Without being morally blackmailed.
I literally had waiters CHASE after me in the USA because I didn't leave ENOUGH of a tip. >

What is moral blackmailing about it? You know the person gets most of their income from tips, and you willingly partake in that service. You want to "have a night out" or "try different foods". 
If you didn't tip them because you had no idea about tipping in the US, sounds like an honest mistake. If you didn't tip them because you don't want to, then you are just partaking in a service and willfully reducing the money the person takes home at night.  
But also - if someone chases you down because you didn't tip enough, that isn't moral blackmailing, that seems like threats or assault. So why do you care if those people who you will never likely see again hate you? >


and then everytime someone does ask for a tip they make up a sob story how they're not getting paid enough 

Do you think people in the US are generally getting paid well? >

It's a 50/50, majority I would have to guess work at $15 an hour or less and I don't think that's enough. >

So who is making up this sob story if it's true? >

Don't think of it as paying 15-20% more.
Think of the tip as part of the cost. Then you can think of it as having the option to pay 15-20% less if you get bad service. >

A lot of individuals think that tipping is a requirement, especially in the food industry. And when you point out that tipping is OPTIONAL they direct their anger at you instead of the corporations that agreed to pay them slim to nothing. It’s frustrating on both ends of the stick. Workers deserve livable wages so they don’t have to rely on the expectancy of tipping. 
Side note: not tipping ≠ broke. i hate seeing this. if someone doesn’t want to tip you, they are not obligated to. As long as they paid what they owed, what they do with their money is their business. >


and then everytime someone does ask for a tip they make up a sob story how they're not getting paid enough and I need to help out and it's "normal".

I grew up in the US and lived there for decades and not once has anyone ever given me a sob story when asking if I'd like to tip. I find it difficult to believe you've experienced this more than once, let alone "every time someone asks for a tip." Are you talking about IRL experiences or people complaining online?

No it's not normal

Tipping is normal in the US. I'm not sure what you mean. >


Tipping is normal in the US. I'm not sure what you mean.

It is only normal because a minimum livable wage is a hot button issue. Since one of the two major parties only runs on the idea "how can we make peoples lives more miserable" >


It is only normal

Right. It's normal. We can have a conversation about why it's normalized and whether that's good or bad, but OP is arguing that it's not normal when it is absolutely normal. That's all I'm pointing out here. >

I don't think anyone really enjoys tipping but because it's so entrenched not tipping is a dick move because you're just taking money out of the mouths of the service workers. By not tipping you're not punishing the people who pay the subsistence wages.
That said, you don't need to tip for takeout. Just tip for sit down restaurants and delivery. 
You're tipping wait-staff and the driver. >

I’m very conflicted about this. 
I have had several jobs where my pay relied on tipping. So of course I support tipping, mostly just servers/delivery drivers tho. 
However, the tipping culture has gotten way out of hand. We are asked to tip fast food workers now, and I have even been asked to tip on an online purchase from an online store. The corporations are being extremely greedy and putting the burden of wages on the customers which is not right, neither for the customers or the employees. It’s gross and predatory behavior. But on the other hand, I would feel terrible not tipping servers and delivery drivers. They don’t deserve to get ripped off either. 
TLDR: we need to target the corporations in this argument. No sense in blaming the workers or customers, as they both have a place to complain from. >

Tipping creates a power dynamic where customers have control over how much a worker earns.  Tipping allows customers to show appreciation for good service, or no tip show the lack of good customer service.
In the US, “the customer is always right”, and tipping is a direct representation of that. If you submit to social pressures to tip people, that’s on you. The concept of tipping actually gives more power to the customer. >

I always look at tipping this way: Americans understand what people's time is worth, and we compensate them fairly without being asked or told. We aren't looking to make a deal, we usually don't stiff people, and we aren't trying to rip people off. We just naturally take care of each other because we know it's the right thing to do. 
Sure you could get there in theory by paying people a "living wage", but the simple reality is tipped employees in the US on average get paid way more than people doing the same job elsewhere in the world, so I see it as the superior system in general. >


We just naturally take care of each other because we know it's the right thing to do.

Are you actually saying that considering americas history? The country where the idea of giving poor people a helping hand is seen as "EVIL SOCIALISM". >

I don't see why helping people on an individual level is at all related to the topic of large scale government social programs?