That argument could be applied to you, too. A steady paycheck deincentives you from doing good work, so you should be reliant on ten other people to pay your wages, rather than the person profiting from your labor.

That's not true at all. The higher the paycheck the more incentive a person has to continue doing their job well. Someone making minimum wage just doesn't give a shit, because there are plenty more jobs out there paying at least that.

The more a person makes, the more they want to maintain the job.

It's a horseshit excuse.

If it were, over the phone customer service would be equal to waiter customer service; and it's clearly not.

You know makes people want to work? A good, steady paycheck.

Call Comcast sometime.

Tipping culture is the same as keeping an axe over a person's head at all times.

Why is this different from 'wage culture'? If you do a poor job at work, will you not be fired? How is this different, except it's the customer who decides your fate rather than the company; or your boss who has a problem with you being taller, or homosexual, or a blonde? It democratizes your paycheck.

Basic economics tells us that to attract better workers you provide a better wage and better benefits.

Yes, and in food service the better you are the more you are paid. People get weeded out or stay naturally, rather than because you're the right person's cousin or you offended the wrong person at a party.

With tipping, we've somehow convinced people that the slight chance to earn a slightly over average paycheck at times is more beneficial than a steady, average one.

I don't know how you can argue that a better wage is preferable, which is what good customer service provides, and that a consistent paycheck is better for the customer in the same paragraph.

Or do you simply not care about the customer?