Rationality and reason have become the staples of modern society. They became so prevalent that such concepts as values, motivation, and traditions are often forgotten and regarded as non-efficient. Modern society is centered on consumption and can be compared to a fast-food restaurant. It is necessary to examine this ongoing process to determine its benefits and drawbacks and come to a conclusion whether the “McDonaldization” of society is a sign of progress or decline.
Efficiency is one of the most crucial components of rationalization. It implies spending as little resources as possible to achieve a favorable result. The majority of American families have abandoned the idea of cooking; instead, they prefer eating out or ordering meals (Ritzer, 2017). This method does not necessarily save money, but it helps preserve time and effort, which are given bigger priority in modern society.
Calculability makes an excellent use of the principle of quantity over quality. Companies rely on the customers’ ability to continue buying their products. Lower quality products are more prone to malfunction, which forces customers to repurchase them or look for a newer, updated model. Increasing the quantity will yield better results in the long-term, even if the quality has to be sacrificed. Lower quality will also increase the company’s gains as long as it is left unnoticed by a common customer and not given publicity.
Predictability and control are considered the most important factors in management-worker relationships. Predictability implies that there is only one efficient way to do a job, which is the most effective and reliable. It turns workers into assembly lines that do repetitive actions on a daily basis, performing exactly the same routine to achieve proper results. Peter Gibbons, the protagonist of the Office Space movie, hates his job because there are too many managers and only a couple of workers that do the most but receive the lowest payment (Judge, 1999). The number of supervisors and complex management structures is a crucial component of control.
The rationalization of modern society is a controversial topic due to its benefits and drawbacks. It creates workplaces but takes the soul and individuality out of employees. The production reaches higher numbers at the cost of its quality. The emphasis on efficiency and control makes the process predictable but leaves no place for experimentation and creativity. Taking all its flaws into consideration, rationalization is an inevitable consequence of progress.
References
Ritzer, G. (1983). The “McDonaldization” of society. The Journal of American Culture, 6(1), 100–107.
Judge, M. (1999) Office Space [Film]. Judgemental Films.