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Summary: The Mcdonaldization Of Society

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In the nonfiction text The McDonaldization of Society, George Ritzer continually connects the overall idea that society has embodied the method of McDonaldization, and supports his argument through providing many examples of past events and companies that embody the specific characteristics of this idea. One interesting point Ritzer continually makes throughout his book is that not only does McDonaldization convey the four characteristics of efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control, but the author makes it clear that a fifth dimension of McDonaldization, irrationality of rationality, exists as well. Through supplying this new element, it provides the reader with a different point of view on the idea of McDonaldization because …show more content…

One interesting point Ritzer made early on in the book is how the food chain “In-n-Out” defies McDonaldization characteristics, but is still deemed as a “cult favorite” to its devout customers. Another interesting idea included by the author is how restricting McDonaldization can when thinking considering Weber's idea of the “Iron Cage”, mentioned in chapter 2. This idea broadens the reader's perspective on how limiting this method can be due to society becoming “nothing more than a seamless web of rationalized structures” where there “will be no escape.” Moreover, in the following chapters, Ritzer goes into depth relating to the distinguishing characteristics of McDonaldization and how it can be seen in a McDonald's restaurant as well as modern day examples, some of which being shopping malls, machine graded multiple choice tests, movie sequels, and pre prepared food items for fast food restaurants. Due to the extent of how Ritzer provides numerous examples of McDonaldization in our society, it allows for consumers to understand how greatly this idea and its values affect us daily. Along with chapters covering the characteristics, the author choose to provide chapters on how to deal with McDonaldization as well as will it go away. By providing the reader with these crucial chapters, it allows for the reader to either directly take home advice on how to deal with this new information they received, as well as if they can reverse this sociological

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