To add a little spice to my college curriculum, I took sociology last
term. Now, sociology is the study of group behavior. It is labeled as 'seeing the unfamiliar
in the familiar'. When looking at groups of people, with in a
population, some stand out as different. We discussed a huge number of
issues with society today. Many topics addressed women, the working
poor, the unspoken of classes in America, racism, education, and other
core issues. But also how we interact with each other, within our
society. And on a larger scale, how our society interacts with other
societies or how our society behaves globally.
One of the assignments was to research or watch Ritzer's discussion on Mc Donaldization shown on You Tube. Mr. Ritzer has written a book about, Mc Donaldization in America. His thought compares how nearly every facet of our lives are compacted into a stream line like that of a fast food business. He compares in the video how health care, politics, religion, court systems, and even death are now all stream lined, cost efficient, mindless followings of a rush, get it quick society.
With Mc Donalization, the concept of a quick meal, at a low cost has replaced the concept of a healthy meal prepared at home. Seemingly, we have replaced the importance of a healthy meal around a family table to the 'snap our fingers, run your credit card, and grab the bags of meals'.
I spent the day looking to see what in my life is 'Mc Donalized'. I was surprised and actually ran over the word content allowed in the paper. It was to be turned in by e-mail, no later than 5:00 pm that Friday, for full credit. Ooops, I had done it myself. I had let Ronald Mc Donalize my paper!
I have fallen prey to 'Mc Donalization'. I have compartmentalized nearly every segment of my life, set time frames, and allowed technology to dictate when I finish my work.
Now, Mc Donalization not only affects how we eat out at fast food restaurants, and Ritzer is not blaming the fast food industry for this phenomena. He is only using it as a comparison. But we can all see in our lives how 'Mc Donalization' has eased it's way in society.
Firstly, Mc Donalization is the core root of impatience. Every thing has to be right now, immediately, five minutes ago or sooner. There is no room for human error, and a complete indifference to burdens we create on others. We see this not only in the fast food industry, but in what we expect of others in service industry but in any line, any where, any time.
Secondly, Mc Donalization leaves no room for any creativity or self expression. The book compares this to a fast food worker who punches numbers of your order. She has no room for any behavior other than general 'what are you having' or 'would you like to super size'? And the use of picture menus, rather than the folding kind, with descriptions. Just point to pick, pay and eat. While the robotic, low wage paid personnel asks someone else 'are you super sizing that?' Not even a 'have a nice day' or 'come again', just you dumping the tray of trash and leaving.
Lastly, is the environmental effect of Mc Donalization. While in our hurry to speed through life, we use a lot stuff. We use disposable diapers, disposable paper towels, and fill our land fills with plastic soda bottles at an alarming rate. We now buy cars expecting five years use, but our parents old cars got ten to twenty years of usage. Today,we toss usable materials into the trash or pay for storage. Usually, because some thing new has come down the line. Something fashionable today, will be outdated in a year, and hence tossed away. Give anything more than five years, it is then retro. Give anything ten years is a collectors item and twenty years it is an antique.
So, my day watching for Mc Donalizations:
I begin my day at 5:30 am: I know it is 5:30 am because my cell phone wake up alarm has rung
My son gets up at 6:00 am: He showers quickly, and dresses for his breakfast of toaster strudels and Tang
We meet his bus at 7:00 am: He is off to school
I begin to load up laundry to wash, and load a dryer: using the wrinkle free detergent I avoid timely ironing
Dressed for school my hair cut is short to save time blow drying
I rush to catch public transportation, or I will miss class; a man having to fish change out of his pocket is complained about out loud by other passengers
After sociology, I run to the grocery store: quick supper for the kids since I have an afternoon class, and work tonight, I buy a frozen dinner for them
I arrive at work to find customers waiting at the door; they are complaining that they have waited so long when they can clearly see, I have walked in the same door as they have, and have not removed my coat;
I wait on numerous tables, deliver food by a clocked time, rush through my side work, and clock out at 2 am
I try to be patient as I wait for my cab, the manager on duty is glaring
I arrive home to shower, load the dishwasher, put out my son's clothes, read his school notes, answer my e-mail
Bed by 3 am. Thankfully, I can sleep in tomorrow, until eight o'clock, since it is Saturday.
So: how many Mc Donalizations did you catch? I count from start to finish: I count 18 Mc Donalizations and I did not even go to Mc Donalds that day.
One of the assignments was to research or watch Ritzer's discussion on Mc Donaldization shown on You Tube. Mr. Ritzer has written a book about, Mc Donaldization in America. His thought compares how nearly every facet of our lives are compacted into a stream line like that of a fast food business. He compares in the video how health care, politics, religion, court systems, and even death are now all stream lined, cost efficient, mindless followings of a rush, get it quick society.
With Mc Donalization, the concept of a quick meal, at a low cost has replaced the concept of a healthy meal prepared at home. Seemingly, we have replaced the importance of a healthy meal around a family table to the 'snap our fingers, run your credit card, and grab the bags of meals'.
I spent the day looking to see what in my life is 'Mc Donalized'. I was surprised and actually ran over the word content allowed in the paper. It was to be turned in by e-mail, no later than 5:00 pm that Friday, for full credit. Ooops, I had done it myself. I had let Ronald Mc Donalize my paper!
I have fallen prey to 'Mc Donalization'. I have compartmentalized nearly every segment of my life, set time frames, and allowed technology to dictate when I finish my work.
Now, Mc Donalization not only affects how we eat out at fast food restaurants, and Ritzer is not blaming the fast food industry for this phenomena. He is only using it as a comparison. But we can all see in our lives how 'Mc Donalization' has eased it's way in society.
Firstly, Mc Donalization is the core root of impatience. Every thing has to be right now, immediately, five minutes ago or sooner. There is no room for human error, and a complete indifference to burdens we create on others. We see this not only in the fast food industry, but in what we expect of others in service industry but in any line, any where, any time.
Secondly, Mc Donalization leaves no room for any creativity or self expression. The book compares this to a fast food worker who punches numbers of your order. She has no room for any behavior other than general 'what are you having' or 'would you like to super size'? And the use of picture menus, rather than the folding kind, with descriptions. Just point to pick, pay and eat. While the robotic, low wage paid personnel asks someone else 'are you super sizing that?' Not even a 'have a nice day' or 'come again', just you dumping the tray of trash and leaving.
Lastly, is the environmental effect of Mc Donalization. While in our hurry to speed through life, we use a lot stuff. We use disposable diapers, disposable paper towels, and fill our land fills with plastic soda bottles at an alarming rate. We now buy cars expecting five years use, but our parents old cars got ten to twenty years of usage. Today,we toss usable materials into the trash or pay for storage. Usually, because some thing new has come down the line. Something fashionable today, will be outdated in a year, and hence tossed away. Give anything more than five years, it is then retro. Give anything ten years is a collectors item and twenty years it is an antique.
So, my day watching for Mc Donalizations:
I begin my day at 5:30 am: I know it is 5:30 am because my cell phone wake up alarm has rung
My son gets up at 6:00 am: He showers quickly, and dresses for his breakfast of toaster strudels and Tang
We meet his bus at 7:00 am: He is off to school
I begin to load up laundry to wash, and load a dryer: using the wrinkle free detergent I avoid timely ironing
Dressed for school my hair cut is short to save time blow drying
I rush to catch public transportation, or I will miss class; a man having to fish change out of his pocket is complained about out loud by other passengers
After sociology, I run to the grocery store: quick supper for the kids since I have an afternoon class, and work tonight, I buy a frozen dinner for them
I arrive at work to find customers waiting at the door; they are complaining that they have waited so long when they can clearly see, I have walked in the same door as they have, and have not removed my coat;
I wait on numerous tables, deliver food by a clocked time, rush through my side work, and clock out at 2 am
I try to be patient as I wait for my cab, the manager on duty is glaring
I arrive home to shower, load the dishwasher, put out my son's clothes, read his school notes, answer my e-mail
Bed by 3 am. Thankfully, I can sleep in tomorrow, until eight o'clock, since it is Saturday.
So: how many Mc Donalizations did you catch? I count from start to finish: I count 18 Mc Donalizations and I did not even go to Mc Donalds that day.
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