1. Culture, the Individual, & Society

2. Social Structure
The social structure of a society – how society is organized – shapes how we are connected to others
Social institutions – family, economy, education
Patterns of behavior and expectations
Social Groups:
Primary: strong, intimate ties (family, friends)
Secondary: weak, superficial ties (work, school)

3. Modern Social Structure: Rationalization
Rationalization: process by which thought and action are no longer rooted in emotion, tradition, but become rooted in ‘value-rational’ thought and action
Value –system (culture)
Institutional Organization
The Cow
Hindus – symbol of everything alive
McDonalds – “means to an end”
Main feature of modern organizations is rationalization
Rationalization: process by which thought and action are no longer rooted in emotion, tradition, but become rooted in ‘value-rational’ thought and action
Find the most efficient way to achieve a valued goal or end
Max Weber gives us a way to think about rationalization in society and organizations.
Organization are good efficiently managing people and goods on a large scale
capable of promoting inefficient, irresponsible and destructive actions
The Cow
Hindus – symbol of everything alive
McDonalds – “means to an end” …most efficient way to produce hamburgers from a cow
Steer used to take 4-5 years to get to slaughter – now months

4. October 7th
Attendance
Lecture Four: McDonaldization and our Social Connections
Film: Becoming American
Homework:
Annual Editions Reading #4 The Myth of the “Culture of Poverty”
Shipler, David Working Poor Introduction

5. McDonaldization of Society
McDonaldization: “process by which the principles of the fast food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of society” – George Ritzer
Efficiency
Quantification
Predictability
Non-human Technology

6. Efficiency
Efficiency is the choosing the fastest means to an end, with the least amount of cost or effort.
The idea of efficiency is specific to the interests of the industry or business, but is typically advertised as a benefit to the customer.
Examples: the drive-up window, self-serve gasoline, ATM's,
The customer often ends up doing the work that previously was done for them.
We end up spending more time, being forced to learn new technologies, remember more numbers, and often pay higher prices

7. Quantification & Calculation
Quantification “involves an emphasis on things that can be calculated, counted, quantified. Quantification refers to a tendency to emphasize quantity rather than quality. This leads to a sense that quality is equal to certain, usually (but not always) large quantities of things." (Ritzer 1994:142)
Examples of this element include: the "Big Mac," the Whopper," "Big Gulp," Wendy's "Biggie Meals,"
The credentialing process.

8. Predictability
Predictability refers to the attempt to structure our environment so that surprise and difference do not encroach upon our sensibilities. Rational people need to know what to expect.
They want to be sure that the fun, satisfaction, taste, and benefits they received last week in Cincinnati will be repeated next week in San Diego. A Big Mac is a Big Mac is a Big Mac.

9. Non-human Technology
Non-human Technology: Everything is pre-packaged, pre-measured, automatically controlled. The human employee is not required to think, just follow the instructions and push a button now and then.
"The next step in this development is to have the customer do the scanning,..." (Ritzer 1994:150).
What this means is that the skills and capabilities of the human actor are quickly becoming things of the past. Who we are and how we interact is becoming defined by our dependence upon and subordination to the machine.

10. Disenchantment of the World
McDonaldization at large works to eliminate genuine human interaction, because interactions are unpredictable and waste time
When you are at Target or Starbucks does the person helping you really mean it when they ask “How are you today?”
And do you give a genuine answer?
As our interactions are structured by rational environments, there is a break down in genuine and spontaneous human interaction

11. Social Capital
Social capital: the social knowledge and connections that enable people to accomplish their goals and extend their influence
Social networks
Mutual obligation
Trustworthiness

12. Types of Social Capital
Bridging Social Capital – outward looking and inclusive
Unifies people across social boundaries
Ex: Interfaith religious groups
Bonding Social Capital – inward looking and exclusive
Reinforces identities among homogeneous groups
Ex: Fraternities and Sororities