Comments by "Brad Griffin" (@BradGryphonn) on "American Reacts to How Can You Tell Someone Is An American Without Them Telling You? 😅" video.

Hey, Ian. The one thing I've always been really disgusted within American Culture is (besides paying for health care) is the fact that people who work in the service industry have to rely on tips to survive. I find that very close to slave labour. To have to rely on your 'service level' and compete with your work colleagues to make enough money to live is just shameful. A minimum wage of five bucks or whatever is deplorable. I remember a Uni lecturer who was a Californian telling me in the late 90s how people in the US can have full-time employment, yet be homeless because they have to choose between rent and food/transport/healthcare. A country and its government should look after its people, not leave them to their own devices.
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I grew up in small, sometimes tiny communities. It was standard to say "g'day" to the people you walk by. Sometimes it was just normal to stop and talk with a person you haven't seen before. The first time I went to a 'big' town (pop 20000), I was walking down the street with my friend who was a local and I was saying g'day to everyone who walked past. He was laughing at me the whole time.
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@not today Oh, and my comment was completely in context, so yeah, I'll comment about the 'bad problems' and most Americans will agree with me.
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@not today Hehehe, chill out man. I'm relating my experience. If that hurts, sorry. I'm allowed to comment, same as you.
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@LeglessWonder Yep. That's because the US doesn't have a realisitic minimum wage. A decent minimum wage removes the need to tip.
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@SilvaDreams But when mass media, advertising and social media tell people they NEED to have the latest and greatest otherwise you're worthless, then says, hey, you're fine on minimum wage, just budget better, it grates. It's much like the whole, 'work hard and you too could be a billionaire like me' attitude. It's rubbish. A living wage where people can pay rent and utilties, and food, and still be able to have some 'nice things' shouldn't be a big ask for the majority of the nation that carries the load. Paying someone 5 bucks an hour and then saying, "be nice to EVERY customer, no matter how big an arsehole they are, and you'll make rent this week" is no way to have to live.
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@vajoynus But the problem is, you end up doing terrible things to each other because of that pseudo freedom. I mean seriously, it would probably cost you 1 or 2 percent more in income tax to have free healthcare for all. Isn't that a fair price to pay so that everyone has equitable access to healthcare?
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