McDonaldization Affects Us All

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McDonaldization Affects Us All
McDonalds is everywhere. When a person walks just a couple of blocks from their house they are going to pass at least two McDonalds. In our society, McDonalds has become a common fixation in our culture. It is what represents America. According to Eric Schlosser, “Fast food has joined Hollywood movies, blue jeans, and pop music as one of America’s most prominent cultural exports” (10). In a way the fast food industry is taking over, especially McDonalds. Actually McDonalds has taken over because like what was said in the beginning of this paragraph, McDonalds is everywhere. This is where McDonaldization comes in. According to Robert Keel, “McDonaldization is the process by which the principles of the fast-food restaurants are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as of the rest of the world”(1). The affects McDonaldization have had on society and its employees tend to be negative ones. But the reason it is so widespread is because huge organizations rely on it as a means to maximize profit. But is the price too high for the rest of us to bear? It plays as a de-motivator and affects everyone’s everyday thinking. McDonaldization affects how consumers want the biggest, fastest, and best product they can get for their money and it also contributes to how unequal and dehumanizing the workplace is, and finally, McDonaldization causes people to become close-minded, ignorant, and afraid of change.
Imagine yourself behind the counter or in the drive- through window at McDonalds. You are programmed how to act and what to say. You have been working there for three years and earn $5.50 an hour. You have never worked more than 29 hours while working there. As stated by Keel, “These circumstances are true for over 40 percent of six million people employed in restaurants today” (1). The reason for these circumstances are due to the change in our society by which the co...