Mcdonaldization of Society
Education and Family: The McDonaldization of Two Social Institutions
Nicholas Lyons
Course name and number Professor ________ July 6, 2009
Education and Family: The McDonaldization of Two Social Institutions As the economy rises and falls, as politics changes, and as technology advances, the social institutions of education and family remain important in personal and social growth. Yet, as important as both family and education may be, the two social institutions have adopted the principles of the fast food industry, thus losing their quality and purpose in a manufactured process known as “McDonaldization” (Ritzer, 2008, p. 1). McDonaldization is defined as the social process by “which the principles of the fast-food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society, as well as the rest of the world” (Ritzer, 2008, p.1). Ritzer’s analysis is based on Max Weber's theory of rationalization: George Ritzer has taken central elements of the work of Max Weber, expanded and updated them, and produced a critical analysis of the impact of social structural change on human interaction and identity. The central theme in Weber's analysis of modern society was the process of Rationalization; a far reaching process whereby traditional modes of thinking were being replaced by an ends/means analysis concerned with efficiency and formalized social control (Smart, 1999, p. 3).
Ritzer (2008) attributes the success of the McDonalds franchise, and of McDonaldization as a whole to four “alluring dimensions”, namely efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control (p.1). One way our society has tried to make life a little easier for both producers and consumers is by implementing the four basic factors of McDonaldization in everyday life. Efficiency, the first factor of McDonaldization, is described as the "...optimum method for
Nicholas Lyons
Course name and number Professor ________ July 6, 2009
Education and Family: The McDonaldization of Two Social Institutions As the economy rises and falls, as politics changes, and as technology advances, the social institutions of education and family remain important in personal and social growth. Yet, as important as both family and education may be, the two social institutions have adopted the principles of the fast food industry, thus losing their quality and purpose in a manufactured process known as “McDonaldization” (Ritzer, 2008, p. 1). McDonaldization is defined as the social process by “which the principles of the fast-food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society, as well as the rest of the world” (Ritzer, 2008, p.1). Ritzer’s analysis is based on Max Weber's theory of rationalization: George Ritzer has taken central elements of the work of Max Weber, expanded and updated them, and produced a critical analysis of the impact of social structural change on human interaction and identity. The central theme in Weber's analysis of modern society was the process of Rationalization; a far reaching process whereby traditional modes of thinking were being replaced by an ends/means analysis concerned with efficiency and formalized social control (Smart, 1999, p. 3).
Ritzer (2008) attributes the success of the McDonalds franchise, and of McDonaldization as a whole to four “alluring dimensions”, namely efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control (p.1). One way our society has tried to make life a little easier for both producers and consumers is by implementing the four basic factors of McDonaldization in everyday life. Efficiency, the first factor of McDonaldization, is described as the "...optimum method for