Do you tip your instructor?

[Degenerate]

Why? You think a tech class is even remotely comparable to 4 year university degree?

Some people keep saying x or y class was hard and when you asked why, it's always that they had issues with some basic stuff. I started cave with 800 or 900 dives or so when I was in my mid 20s. Thought the skills were all pretty basic stuff.

I know the next question:
Before someone now wants to know If I have ever 'been in the water with gue diver' (I know, I know because they (think) they're so much higher level). Yes, I have, more than once. I was just diving with a hardcore DIR fan C2/T2 not too long ago. Still don't see what's supposed to be so hard to learn. There are other sports that are much harder to get good at, I think.

Not only did you not answer the question but you also managed to project a ton of other stuff AND somehow bring GUE into this?

I don't have enough time or crayons to continue a discussion with you in a manner that you can comprehend buddy.

 

[berndo]

Not only did you not answer the question but you also managed to project a ton of other stuff AND somehow bring GUE into this?

I don't know how many tech classes I've done, buddy. A bunch.
Not projecting just letting you know that I know the spiel. Why else would you have asked what classes I've done.

 

[pauldw]

We as scuba divers (including tec) are probably the least fit, oldest and chubbiest group of 'athletes' out there.

I didn't used to be.

In case people haven't seen it yet, what's happening where I live in the western US, and what'll no doubt spread to many places it hasn't spread to yet (at least in the US), is a replacement for those little credit card swipers with the tiny screen. Now there's a bigger screen on a stand with a swivel, and the cashier spins it to face you, and when you approve the amount to be taken off your card it also provides on screen buttons to push to add a tip. You have to either add a tip, or push the "No Tip" button. I see these at nearly every kind of point of sale now. Annoying.

 

[Angelo Farina]

I could care less if I receive a tip or not. I made $1.4 million last year. Again, I tip to show how much I appreciate someone. Maybe you don’t appreciate anyone and as such no one appreciates you. Or you’re just cheap. Who knows. Rock on.

Giving someone money for showing that you appreciate him/her is truly sad in my view.
If someone would attempt giving money to me for that reason, I would not appreciate it.
But we are not all equal.
I really condemn this tipping culture.
It is a form of meritocracy, pleasant people get a prize and less pleasant people are not rewarded for their work.
Meritocracy is one of the worst things in our modern society.
The sad distopic world described by Young in his book "The rise of the Meritocracy" is becoming true, and people even think it is a good thing...

 

[Angelo Farina]

Maybe hostile is the wrong word. Just seems like some feel like tipping is almost offensive. Just my take on it.

Tipping is bad. It is not just offensive, it promotes the concept that money is a measure of your value.
Usually this culture is supported by wealth and succesfull people.
It is a way of justifying their privileges and wealth, affirming that being rich and privileged is deserved only by the best ones.
A self-justification of social disparity, a way of defending own's privileged position.

 

[Angelo Farina]

You're comparing something like a university professor to a scuba instructor? Scuba diving is a super easy to learn hobby that hardy requires any skill to teach. A professor has gone through years and years of full time work, study and competition and teaches on a way higher level. You're getting paid pretty good money for this, at least in Europe.

That's truly wrong. Please note that I am both a diving instructor and a full professor at the university.
I did take me 3 years for qualifying as a diving instructor, after my first OW course (which was another year).
There were no shortcuts, the regulations required first to become a full certified 3-stars diver, then to serve as an assistant instructor for two years, abd finally I was admitted to the instructor training course, which was very demanding both physically and mentally, and required to show deep knowledge of physics, physiology, psychology, environment, marine biology, deco theory and practice, boat handling, rowing, doing knots, free diving, using CC rebreathers, resuscitation and salvage, etc.
On the other hand becoming a professor at the university was much simpker.
I had to file a form, attaching the best 10 of my 300+ scientific papers, and passing a 30-minutes oral interview, including 10 minutes of simulated lesson on a given topic and a 5 minutes reading and translating test from English to Italian.
Also during lectures, teaching diving is much more demanding, due to physical effort, the management of adverse environmental conditions and the responsibility on life and health of students.
All this said, I entirely agree that it is a bad idea to tip a teacher who has the power to pass or fail his students.
It is truly unethical, and potentially very dangerous.
As an university professor, I would seriously risk my job if accepting even a small tip or gift from a student.
And if I am caught soliciting a tip, I would be arrested and jailed for a couple of years.
A diving instructor probably does not risk such extreme consequences, but the ethical misconduit would be the same.

 

[Lorenzoid]

As an university professor, I would seriously risk my job if accepting even a small tip or gift from a student.
And if I am caught soliciting a tip, I would be arrested and jailed for a couple of years.

Well, in fairness to those arguing in favor of tipping instructors, the better analogy would be to a former student giving you something after leaving university. But even by that analogy, I think giving professors anything of real value is a poor practice. A small token of appreciation--absolutely. My wife teaches at university level and has accepted just those sorts of token gifts from former students. (Her recent graduates are too poor to give anything more anyway!)

 

[Angelo Farina]

A​

Meh, I think it's pretty easy to learn. What's a hard skill so learn in scuba diving?

Approximately one student over 10 has severe problems breathing from the reg with the mask flooded or without mask, due to the epiglottis reflex triggered by water on nostrils.
Another student over 10 cannot control the soft palate, so they loose gas through nose or inhale water without mask.
1 over 10 cannot keep eyes open without a mask.
2 students over 10 have severe problems learning how to equalise.
So learning to dive is hard for a total of 5 students over 10. People who have none of these problems think that it is easy, but for the other half it is not that easy.

 

[Billg68bg]

Tipping is bad. It is not just offensive, it promotes the concept that money is a measure of your value.
Usually this culture is supported by wealth and succesfull people.
It is a way of justifying their privileges and wealth, affirming that being rich and privileged is deserved only by the best ones.
A self-justification of social disparity, a way of defending own's privileged position.

I am far from privileged. I worked damned hard for the money I make. And money in the form of a tipis a measure of value for particular tasks.
And wealth earned belongs to those willing to earn it. I.E. the best ones in a particular area. I don’t fall into the socialist mindset. Final reply for me on the subject. Getting old.

 

[Angelo Farina]

I am far from privileged. I worked damned hard for the money I make. And money in the form of a tipis a measure of value for particular tasks.
And wealth earned belongs to those willing to earn it. I.E. the best ones in a particular area. I don’t fall into the socialist mindset. Final reply for me on the subject. Getting old.

That is exactly the reasoning I do not like.
It is called meritocracy, the theory that success comes from a combination of talent and hard work, and that it is fair that some prople become very rich (because they are "the best") while others struggle getting enough food to survive.
And meritocracy is destroying our society, as in reality in most cases success arises from a combination of privileged starting position and luck.
Succesfull people should recognise this, and accept that some sort of equalisation is fair, possibly through highly progressive taxation, feeding the public wealth system providing free healthcare to everyone, free higher instruction, good public schools, etc.