Central Themes In George Ritzer's The Mcdonaldization Of Society

Author of ‘The McDonaldization of Society’, George Ritzer deconstructs central themes in Max Weber’s work and explores the impact of a structural change, on human relations and cultural identity. The theory examines elements of the fastfood industry , and analyses how they have secured domination in America and the contemporary globalized world, crippling diversities and making demographics homogenized.

The argument presented by Max Weber was that by the 20th century, traditional methods and measures of thinking were being replaced by ‘socially controlled and more efficient means’ According to Weber, “the bureaucracy – a large, formal organization characterized by a hierarchical authority structure, a well-defined division of labor, written rules and regulations”, was the ‘new order’ affecting societies ensuing the process of rationalization. In the new era, Ritzer argues that ‘fast food chains’ , for example, Mcdonalds, represents the organizational force pushing the process of rationalization.

In The McDonaldization of Society, Ritzer says “A society

On the contrary,individuals continue to be inefficient and unpredictable whilst cooking at home with the widespread growth of fast food eateries. It is important to note that individuals enjoy full control over their meals in terms, of free will and sovereignty, in the selection and cooking procedure. Unfortunately, globalization threatens indigenous cultures, by flooding cultural products, thereby attaining economic control, adversely known as ‘cultural imperialism’ by the naturally dominant culture. In sum, the theory is essential to better understand the changing contemporary world with the strong possibility of intervention to alleviate dehumanization and protection of human