Reading response: “The McDonaldization of Society” George Ritzer

This article, written by George Ritzer, presents McDonalds and the efficiency associated with fast food production as a component of sociological change. Presented in this context, the fast food giant is a metaphor for the rationalization of society. In other words, we are becoming more concerned about speed, ease and efficiency of food preparation than we are about taste, nutrition and actually sitting down to a meal. Ritzer defines rationalization as a process in which a great deal of emphasis is placed on finding the fastest or most optimum means to an end. He includes a number of examples of rationalization in both history and the modern world. One of these is the example of a camping trip. In the past, camping involved a certain amount of unpredicatability. It could rain, your tent could leak, a bear could raid your campsite, you might need to go in the woods, it was an adventure. Now, you can pull your 40’ RV into a paved campsite, hook up to water and electricity, and essentially remove all the uncertainty from the trip. Ritzer grants that there are still people that pitch their tents in the middle of nowhere with the bears, just as there are still people who cook from scratch, but as a whole, the rationalization or “McDonaldization” of society is a rapidly growing trend.

This trend is not only rapidly overtaking society, but is also causing a number of changes outside of diet. At home, I was always fortunate to sit down to a home-cooked meal nearly every night. And it was a real home-cooked meal, not something simply reheated or rehydrated. This also led to family bonding time, discussions that revolved around various topics, usually controversial, and in general, led us to appreciate the food we were eating and the company we were with. Even more importantly, it led to a strong sense of family and values. While I feel that the McDonaldization of society, at least in terms of fast food, is partially responsible for the unhealthy eating habits of today, I also firmly believe that it has at least some small role in the erosion of family values. Rationalization and efficiency is extremely important, especially in terms of feeding our ever-growing population, however it shouldn’t be consuming our lives.

Questions:
What are some of the benefits of increased rationalization of society?

What affects does this trend have on less-developed societies?