Speed, convenience, and efficiency have certainly come to the forefront of American minds in our modern fast-paced society. The "McDonaldization of Society," as described by George Ritzer, explains this exact phenomenon. In the fast food industry, food is created with an emphasis on quantity and predictability of quality from one location to another. Additionally, these institutions are run with elements of routine and structure - leading to control of not only the uniformity of the food, but also of the employees who work there. With this, the autonomy and creativity in fast food industries, as well as in other aspects of our society, is diminishing immensely.
In chapter one of "Across Space and Through Time: Tomatl Meets the Corporate Tomato," the McDonalization of Society becomes further evident. By tracing the journey of the tomato, from way back the the day of the Aztecs to current times, it is clear just how much its production has changed. The standardization and homogenization of tomatoes today is far different from the unpredictability of methods of the Aztec farmers. Back then, tomatoes had character: now, they all have approximately the same shape, color, and taste. If the tomatoes in the supermarket deviate at all from this view we expect, we simply don't buy them. We want to know what to expect when we buy food, and therefore support the processes by which it's made. The tomato is therefore not merely a food, but a representation of our society's values.
The McDonalization of Society has applications in our world far beyond the food industry. It's true, people are eating out more and quickly grabbing meals on the go on a consistent basis, but our focus on efficiency doesn't stop just here. Modern science focuses around achieving efficiency: on the internet, any information is only a click away and contacting all of your friends is a quick text message away. Impatience runs rampant when super efficiency, and therefore, instant gratification takes over. What happens when the desire to achieve productivity goes too far? Will humans be useless in work when a robot can do the job without flaw? Are the majority of Americans even worried about this potential dehumanization, or are we moving too fast to even know what's happening?
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Naomi,
ReplyDeleteI certainly agree with what you're saying in your tomato description. As humans, we have been programmed to accept only what has become the norm and to automatically accept unusual/unpredictable things as taboo. If we see an unusual looking tomato, we are going to instantly assume that it is rotten/disgusting without even possibly tasting it. We need to start becoming more open and appreciative of diversity.
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ReplyDeleteHumm, I know what you have said in your blog, but I'm wondering why we should be so worried about achieving effeciency: in the extreme, when robots totally replace human labor, we would not have to attend colleges, there would be less stresses, and definitely fewer suicide cases. People will be enjoying the joy of life going to hawaii, florida, or ithaca (lol) for holidays. Or they can devote more to art and music, and do a lot of things we can not do currently because we have to work. It is my personal opinion that persueing effeciency is the prerequesite of totally enjoying life, and so there is nothing wrong of doing it.
ReplyDeleteOlly,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that it is important to pursue efficiency in life, but I think that it reaches a point where it does more harm than good, hence, the "irrationality of rationality." Are you saying that robots should rule the world? If we don't stress or work to accomplish or challenges confronting us and instead devote our whole lives to leisure, it will become something we grow accustomed to rather than something we look forward to. Efficiency is great, and we should definitely continue to pursue this goal, but I believe that challenge, not efficiency, is the prerequisite to enjoying life. After all, it is the tough times that allow us a standard by which we can compare the truly awesome times.