The Tipping Point Of Tipping: The Gratuity Controversy

No, this is not a review of Malcolm Gladwell's excellent book, but it is a discussion on one of the reasons why Mr. Gladwell titled his book, The Tipping Point, that way. A tipping point is actually a critical point in an evolving situation that leads to a new and irreversible development. A tipping point is actually a critical point in an evolving situation that leads to a new and irreversible development. The term is used in many disciplines: climatology, epidemiology, and even in chaos theory—where the tipping point is defined as the unpredictable movement of something that leads to unpredicted results. So, this last definition, ironically, defines the tipping point of tipping. Read on!

Many have never considered tipping to be a controversial act—it seems like such a common occurrence. But now, in 2013 and probably into the coming years, the act of tipping and its underlying social meaning is becoming more controversial and surely more nuanced.