Eye Care

5 Pages 1220 Words

Eye Care

“Daddy, we had eye exams at school today, and we both need glasses,” claimed the youngest. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to get some then, won’t we?” “I don’t want glasses, dad,” replied the oldest. “They’ll make me look goofy.” Mom interjects, “Don’t worry kids, I’ve had to have glasses my whole life. They’re not that bad. You just have to go to an eye care facility and let them check you out. It’s all standard procedure, and it’s very easy to find something you’ll like and look good in. You just have to wait for a short period for them to order your lenses or contacts.”
Sound familiar. It should because this incident is a perfect example of standardization in America today. Haven’t you noticed how their seems to be a proper procedure for just about anything these days. The next thing you know, you’ll find yourself being taught how to pick your nose properly! The purpose of most of the procedures is to save time. The standardization of America is explained well by George Ritzer in his book titled The McDonaldization of Society. In the book, he uses examples, such as McDonald’s, to explain how the world revolves around predictability, efficiency, calculability, and control by nonhuman technology. You must agree that McDonald’s is a successful business and that it is an icon for our culture. What you probably didn’t know is that McDonald’s is a prime example to other profitable businesses of how to succeed in the business world (Ritzer 5). The business of vision correction, along with about every other kind of business, has been standardized.
Think about it. From the moment you pick up the phone and make an appointment with an optometrist, you are playing your part in McDonaldization. The process of getting an eye exam is predictable, efficient, calculable, and controlled by nonhuman technology. You will find that almost everything about making an ...