McDonaldization of Society Essay

The keep of George Ritzer, has interpreted true elements from Webers feat and acted a critical abbreviation of the impact that is felt by the friendly structural change on existence interaction and identity. According to the keep, Ritzer takes that the straighta style nutrient business and its structure is responsible for the hand organizational force and this parade or keenization has disseminated into the every(prenominal)day lives of the individuals and their interaction levels. As has been defined by Ritzer himself Mcdonaldalization,.is the solve y which the principles of the fast food restaurant atomic design 18 coming to dominate much and more sectors of Ameri tin can society as comfortably as the cosmea. (ritzer,19931) If hotshot was to emb public life the suppuration of this franchise, the sectionicular that it has thousands of extinctlets worldwide and is located in the suburbs, military bases, m all tolds. And yet the highway exchanges usher i n the extent to which our lives bring been taken oer by this do by. It is not only the fast food imprisonment which represent this spot barely even the some other chains much(prenominal) as those connected to Toys, Bookstores, impudents make-ups and sister c ar amongst several others. there fill been in military strengths-increasing in number-that the newer beas of business expertise argon making affair of this process. Everything is handled and managed in a way to control the perceptions and mindset of slew. There have been five dominant piece of musics which were sketch by Ritzer in his take which b wholeness marrow on the stem of efficiency, calculability, predictability, increased control, and the replacement of human by non-human technology. The first one deals with the notion of efficiency and it is basically translated as the pulmonary tuberculosis of smasheds in tack together to reach a goal or aim with the least amount of quantify and effort.The idea of efficiency can be seen by the way the people in resistent business or industries perceive it to be as it can differ for diverse business structures. This is viewed as a benefit and advantage to the node in all respects and forms. The antithetic shipway that this is achieved can be seen through the physical exertion of the ATM machine, voice mail, and drive-up window serve salad bars etc which all cater to reducing the time indispensable for that business purpose. The customer might not be mindful of this but in this process he actually conducts various dissevers of service and pays for them as well which were avail open to him before on demand.It might seem as a note worthy service but in public it is just a way of cutting time and costs for the true and increasing the cost for the customer. It requires learning the recitation of these newer services, and in golf club to apply and feed social function of them the customer has to bear the senseless costs for the se survey- added services. Another writing which gets crossways is the idea and notion of calculability. In rate to define this notion, the word of honors of Ritzer would be charge to way outive use this involves an emphasis on things that can be calculated, counted , quantified.Quantification refers to a proclivity to emphasize quantity rather than type. This leads to a sense that quality is equal to certain, unremarkably (but not ever so) long quantities of things. (Ritzer, 1994142). There atomic number 18 several exemplars which can be utilize to explain the idea of making use of quantity- some of the fast food offerings such as the Big Mac, Big Whopper, Wnedys Biggie meals etc which all point to the point that quality has been effectively replaced by quantity. Another clever res publica which comes to the notice of the reader is the event that time-saving plays an integral role in this process as well.There argon newer and change recipes which allow for t he food to be organise in much shorter time and the microwave food intersection points cater to the need of such time conservative individuals. Another theme which is presented effectively is predictability. It is in reference to the set about that is played by the attempts that be draw in in methodicalness to structure our surroundings and hence, surprise cannot have any effect on our sensible nature. Those who act middling and use their logic will always have an upper hand as they would be well prep bed in advance for any problems and issues that might come their way.The customer of this sort would expect the alike(p) taste, quality and requirements that he got from one atomic number 18a product to be applied elsewhere. The example of the entertainment industry can be used in this regard as the audience is make to water movies upon movies any regarding the same theme, sequels or even serial publication regarding the same issue. Therefore, a sense of predictability has function a prominent feature of all our lives and we operate by it. Whether it is going to the dapple from 9 to 5, going for some sort of entertainment on the weekends-we do conjoin a course which more or less is decided and is hence, predictable.The human race is being doctrine by the idea of predictability and any deviation has become a source of risk. The other theme which was taken on by the fountain of this have got was the idea of control through the replenishment of nonhuman for human technology. In Ritzers testify words these two elements be closely linked. Specifically, replacement of human by nonhuman often oriented towards greater control. The great source of uncertainty and arbitrariness in a rationalizing system are people either the people who work within those systems or the people who are served by them.(Ritzer 1994148) For the human per see, everything is planned and make for him before hand and he operates as a mere obedient automation machine which ope rates as layed by machine with no thinking on his behalf being carried out. If one was to look at the different nations of ones life, it could be seen that from the kitchen to the living room, all of us make effective use of technology in one way or another. The machines do the tasks for us and us being enured as mere handlers of them. As per the claim of Ritzerthe next step in this outgrowth is to have the customer do the scan Ritzer (1994 150) This comment clearly indicates the fact that the humans have over time allowed the machines to surpass them in this case of managing and carrying out the work. The calculator and machines have been accepted as the bar criteria by which we assess ourselves and our skills. What is being seen as a development is that the human skills and capabilities are being rapidly eroded in the fact of development and the humans are merely being used in order to facilitate the processes of the machinery.The last theme which was analyse and discussed by the criminal record would be that of the irrationality of rationality. This theme mocks the rationality of these systems which are a source of the pride of the owners of these product companies. This book represents a view that if analyzed properly it could be seen that under these rational systems or so called-there lies an edge of irrationality. In Ritzers own words nearly specifically, irrationality means that rational systems are unreasonable systems. By that I mean that they deny their basic humanity, the human resource, of the people who work within are served by them.(Ritzer, 1994154) All of us have been victims at different points at time when we have had to wait quite long for the food, groceries which make us question the rationality of the fact that though more is being paid for the efficient -ness and effectiveness of these systems, yet at the end those very systems are being undermined by the essence of rationality. We make use of the products and services which are aimed at providing us with better services and results only to depict us with less than desired results.The habituation increases of all on these very systems and in effect, it becomes a mere trap as the humans rely heavily on these for their different purposes and aims. However, this same vicious one shot creates an even worse effect as the environment which is sued for the basic purposes of breathing is dirty and affected in a number of detrimental ways. In Ritzers book the communal meal is our primary ritual for encouraging the family to gather together every day. If it is lost to us, we shall have to invent new ways to be a family.It is worth considering whether the shared joy that food can provide is worth giving up. (Visser, 198942, in Ritzer, 1994156). The easy availability of readymade meals etc have made things much more easier for the present propagation and hence, a number of strategic elements which were present initial have seen to be fading. The world is be coming heavily dependent on manmade objects and services which in effect is making it lose its own individuality. The above part of the paper effectively discussed the elements of the book and the pastime paper would critically analyze these themes and ideas.The author of this book has presented some quite artless views and accord of the various themes. The author presents an understanding that the human value are an unnecessary sports stadium which does not require exploration and what actually requires precaution are those systems which are endangering the humans ability to think. Through his analytic thinking, Ritzer is able to apply his principles to a wide get of phenomenon which includes the economic and friendly grammatical constructions as well. What comes across is a failure in order to explore the cultural propertys and though his analysis is a social analysis-it yet fails in a number of ways.what is clearly required is a cultural perspective and in order to ad d to the normative stance of Ritzer, certain important areas such as the strategies of resistance and critical perspectives need to be focused on as well. star of the weaknesses which are inherent in this book is the fact that by representing McDonald as the double of McDonaldization the actual progress is negated and undermined in a lot of ways. There comes across an overweening dependence on the Weber conjecture and that what can be used to have the best the problems is the multiperspectivist approach.The rationale of the book clearly comes as a method of presenting the sociological system of Weber to rationalize the supposition with a number of empirical data usages. He adds to the analysis of Weber which was further carried out by this book as he tries to restructure a vast part of areas which extend from the general social kinetics and the larger structure of the social organizational structure. What comes across as a strengthened theory throughout the book is the co ncept of expenditure and the area of occupation which plays an important area in the McDonaldization process is actually ignored.The concept of profit is touched upon is certain cases ( Ritzer 199644,62F)although it could have been better handled if the author had aimed it at through the rationalization process of production and consumption. Being part of a rationalization process, McDonaldization is a phenomenon through which the world markets are being rationalized and reorganized in order to maximize the capital accumulation. The cultural property and aspect of the McDonaldization process which the corporate word makes effective use of in order to create the family determine and attract the attention of the viewers and readers.Therefore, the company and franchise McDonalds is not merely marketing services and products but in fact is selling certain cultural values and inculcating them as well. The process of purchase etc is merely a small part of the actual value chain. Ther efore, McDonaldization is in fact part of a social phenomenon which has its own cultural values and codes which have been largely ignored by the book and its author. The US is actually a race which consists of the values such as family etc which are catered to by these franchises as they evoke these national values and validate them to the wide nation.Therefore, the author undermines the different aspects and methods of McDonalds which is an ideological and cultural phenomenon as well as being an economic one. The cultural dimension is largely overlooked and ignored by the author in the pursual of picture the economic process. The theory of homogenization is overly presented in a highly generalized manner and the standard of the process of McDonaldization is represent throughout the book and what is ignored is the fact is the variety and diversity of the consumer practices in the different areas and regions of the world.Each different region and area has its product offering s which differ to a large extent and that has been largely ignored by the author of this book. The social rationalization and the different phenomena which is experienced by the various races and creeds are not presented at all which presents a major flaw and weakness of this book and the author effectively. The indwelling process of the process are ignored in the pursuit of the theory of rationalization and the presentation of Ritzers ideas are clearly too intention and fail to highlight the various subjective and cultural values of McDonaldization.Ritzer argues that the concept of modernisation (Ritzer, 1994148f) is what McDonaldization is perceived as but one has to analyze that whether it truly is that or is the veracity actually different. There are aspects of this process which are clearly interlinked with the traditional values and the claims of the author of the McDonaldization process being the reach of the modernists is undermining this important area and aspect of the McDonaldization process. part the rationalization process of production and consumption are areas and aspect of the McDonaldization process, they clearly do not overtake the entire meaning and existence of the entire process. In fact, the reality of the process is the fact that the McDonaldization process does not only relate to Webers theory of rationalization and Marxs theory of commodification but there are other postmodern elements which are connected to it.Ritzers attempts to distance the analysis of post contemporaneousness from the McDonaldization process are in continuative to his failure to bring out the connections mingled with the cultural dimension and the McDonaldization process. An important area of the postmodern theory is the cultural aspect which has been linked with the transactional culture that is enacted upon this McDonaldization process and created even further.The connection that is created between this process on a global and local ordered series might h ave been analyzed by this book but what has been ignored is the social functions, different meanings and experiences that are generated by the McDonalds in a number of regions. This paper has not only represented the themes but also represented the flaws and weaknesses inherent in this book and what could have been done in order to improve the understanding of the process. References The McDonaldization of edict by George Ritzer (ISBN 0-7619-8812-2)McDonaldization The Reader by George Ritzer (ISBN 0-7619-8767-3) The McDonaldization thesis Explorations and Extensions by George Ritzer (ISBN 0-7619-5540-2) McDonaldization of Americas Police, Courts, and corrections by Matthew B. Robinson McCitizens by Bryan Turner Resisting McDonaldization, ed. Barry new Golden Arches East McDonalds in East Asia by James L. Watson Sociology of usage Fast fare, Credit Cards and Casinos, ed. George Ritzer The McDonaldization of higher(prenominal) Education, ed. Dennis Hayes & Robert WynyardEnchanti ng a disenchant ground by George Ritzer Ritzer, George (2008). The McDonaldization of Society. Los Angeles ache crop Press. ISBN 0-7619-8812-2. McDonalds UK. Questions Answered. 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