The McDonaldization of society – George Ritzer
The success of fast food chain is used by Ritzer as a metaphor for some general trends
characterizing contemporary American society. We have become a nation driven by
concerns for rationality, speed and efficiency that are so well illustrated by the McDonalds’
style of operation. McDonalidzation has become so pervasive that one can travel to nearly
any city or town in America and find familiar chain-style restaurants, shops, hotels and other
avenues for commercial exchange homogenization.
A society characterized by rationality is one which emphasizes
- Efficiency (assembly line)
- Predictability (order, systemization, routine, consistency etc.)
- Calculability (quantity rather than quality)
- Substitution of nonhuman for human technology (people continue to act in
unforeseen ways)
- Control over uncertainty
The glitter of these accomplishments and promises has served to distract most people from
the gave dangers posed by progressive rationalization. We are ultimately concerned here
with the irrational consequences that often flow from rational system. Thus, the second
major theme of this essay might be termed ‘the irrationality of rationality’. The irrationality
of rationality is seemingly inevitable by-product of the process. It can simply be seen as an
overarching label for all the negative effects of rationalization. More specifically, it can be
seen as the opposite of rationality.
One of the most interesting and important aspects of efficiency is that it often comes to be
not a means but an end in itself. This displacement of goals is a major problem in a
rationalizing society (bureaucrats who slavishly follow the rules even though their
inflexibility negatively affects the organization’s ability to achieve its goals).
Somewhat less obvious is the use of the computer to give the illusion of personal attention
in a world made increasingly impersonal in large part because of the computer’s capacity to
turn virtually everything into quantifiable dimensions.
The efforts to rationalize food production and distribution can be seen as being aimed at
gaining greater control over the problems of hunger and starvation. At a more specific level,
the rationalization of food preparation and serving at McDonald’s gives it great control over
its employees. In addition to control over employees, rational systems are also interested in
controlling the customer/clients they serve.
We might say that rational systems are not reasonable systems dehumanization as
people are reduced to acting like robots. Overall a fully rational society would be a very
bleak and uninteresting place. What is needed is not a less rational society, but greater
control over the process of rationalization involving, among other things, efforts to
ameliorate its irrational consequences.
The success of fast food chain is used by Ritzer as a metaphor for some general trends
characterizing contemporary American society. We have become a nation driven by
concerns for rationality, speed and efficiency that are so well illustrated by the McDonalds’
style of operation. McDonalidzation has become so pervasive that one can travel to nearly
any city or town in America and find familiar chain-style restaurants, shops, hotels and other
avenues for commercial exchange homogenization.
A society characterized by rationality is one which emphasizes
- Efficiency (assembly line)
- Predictability (order, systemization, routine, consistency etc.)
- Calculability (quantity rather than quality)
- Substitution of nonhuman for human technology (people continue to act in
unforeseen ways)
- Control over uncertainty
The glitter of these accomplishments and promises has served to distract most people from
the gave dangers posed by progressive rationalization. We are ultimately concerned here
with the irrational consequences that often flow from rational system. Thus, the second
major theme of this essay might be termed ‘the irrationality of rationality’. The irrationality
of rationality is seemingly inevitable by-product of the process. It can simply be seen as an
overarching label for all the negative effects of rationalization. More specifically, it can be
seen as the opposite of rationality.
One of the most interesting and important aspects of efficiency is that it often comes to be
not a means but an end in itself. This displacement of goals is a major problem in a
rationalizing society (bureaucrats who slavishly follow the rules even though their
inflexibility negatively affects the organization’s ability to achieve its goals).
Somewhat less obvious is the use of the computer to give the illusion of personal attention
in a world made increasingly impersonal in large part because of the computer’s capacity to
turn virtually everything into quantifiable dimensions.
The efforts to rationalize food production and distribution can be seen as being aimed at
gaining greater control over the problems of hunger and starvation. At a more specific level,
the rationalization of food preparation and serving at McDonald’s gives it great control over
its employees. In addition to control over employees, rational systems are also interested in
controlling the customer/clients they serve.
We might say that rational systems are not reasonable systems dehumanization as
people are reduced to acting like robots. Overall a fully rational society would be a very
bleak and uninteresting place. What is needed is not a less rational society, but greater
control over the process of rationalization involving, among other things, efforts to
ameliorate its irrational consequences.
