In sum, rationalization has institutionalized McDonald's and made it and its principles of standardization a part of every American's life.
However, it is also important to note that Ritzer attempts to provide a critical analysis of the whole McDonaldization process: that, while McDonald's have become an icon of the American society for the contemporary period, it has also become the symbol for the furthering of irrationality of the society as well. This claim is evidently a paradox, since what McDonaldization has brought to society is actually a move towards irrationality, wherein every action of individuals has become mechanical and standardized. Critical theorists (and Ritzer) consider this process as "dehumanization." Instead of giving people their full potential in enhancing their skills and knowledge at work, the prevalence of "scripted interaction" in almost every transaction conducted in capitalist societies have resulted to dehumanization as people are merely taught to memorize lines, actions, even behavior that reflects the "image" of the institution or organization they are working for.
Ritzer's discussion and analysis is an illustration, if put in a higher social context, is characteristic of contemporary societies in the world today. Societies today are dominated by activities and lifestyle that leads to the deskilling of individuals, especially now that new technologies are produced, functioning with the least human intervention possible. Thus, McDonaldization is a phenomenon that has prevailed and continues to proliferate to include not only American society, but other societies in the world as well.
Bibliography
Ritzer, G. (2000). The McDonaldization of Society. CA:…
Sample Source(s) Used
Bibliography
Ritzer, G. (2000). The McDonaldization of Society. CA: Pine Forge Press.
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