Sociology week 7

McDonaldization of society

The organizational principles that underlie McDonald’s are coming to dominate our entire society.
Our culture is modeling many aspects of life on this restaurant chain. There is almost no face-to-face
communication anymore.

Four principles

According to George Ritzer (1993), the McDonaldization of society rests on four organizational
principles:

1. Efficiency. We tend to think that anything done quickly is, for that reason alone, good.
2. Predictability. An efficient organization wants to make everything it does as predictable as
possible.
3. Uniformity. Many objects are designed and mass-produced according to a standard plan. Not
just our environment but also our life experiences. Uniformity results from a highly rational
system that specifies every action and leaves nothing to chance.
4. Control. The thing what is not in control, are humans. Someone can be having a bad day, or
is just clumsy. With automatic computers, there is no such problem.

Modernity and the Individual

Mass society: problems of identity

According to David Riesman, preindustrial societies exhibit tradition directedness: everyone in

society draws on the same solid cultural foundation and people model their lives on those of their
ancestors. Modern societies exhibit other directedness: Because their socialization occurs in
societies that are continuously in flux, other-directed people develop fluid identities marked by
superficiality, inconsistency and change.

Tradition-directedness: Rigid conformity to time-honored ways of living.

Other-directedness: Openness/receptiveness to the latest trends and fashions, often expressed by
imitating others.

Class society: Problems of Powerlessness

According to Herbert Marcuse, modern society is irrational because it fails to meet the needs of so
many people. Technological advances further reduce people’s control over their own lives. People
suffer because modern societies concentrate both wealth and power in the hands of a privileged few.
Inequality undermines individual freedom.

Social character: personality patters common to members of a particular society.

Modernity and Progress

A rising standard of living has made our lives longer, and the conveniences brought to us by
developments in science and technology have made our everyday lives more comfortable.

Many people are stressed and have little time to relax; advancements in transportation and
communications technology have weakened traditional attachments to hometowns and families;
there have been no increases in measures of personal happiness over recent decades.

Postmodernity

The transformations caused by the information revolution and the postindustrial economy.

Focused on knowledge, progress, innovation

It refers to the cultural traits of postindustrial societies. Postmodern criticism of society centers on
the failure of modernity and specifically science, to fulfill its promise of prosperity and well-being

Connected to neokolonialism

Class notes
4 things that define modernity lesson 6

MASS SOCIETY CLASS SOCIETY

(Tönnies, Durkheim, Weber) (Marx)
Claim: Too much freedom Claim: denial of full participation in social life
-Growth of cities -Economic differences/division of power (power
-Specializations differences, power proletariat)
-Weakened ties -Not inclusive
-Expanding bureaucracy -Power, knowledge & wealth hold by few.
-Identity crisis (other directedness)
-Less social cohesion

+ education
+ choices -> freedom
+ diversity