In the heart of any nation lies its cultural identity, woven intricately into the fabric of its society. Canada, although a young country, had built a cultural identity around its struggle against the harsh climate; what they aren’t, i.e., American; and the coexistence between the English and the French (Ravelli; Webber, 2021). However, in recent decades, the rise of global fast-food giant McDonald's has created an undeniable shift in the structure of Canadian society. This essay explores the profound impact of McDonald’s and how it led to the erosion of Canadian cultural values: the self-fulfilling prophecy of turning into what they historically have not wanted to be. Most of the Canadian population lives along 150 kilometres of the United …show more content…
The Loyalists were individuals hailing from the American colonies who remained loyal to the British Crown. When the United States declared independence from Britain, many Loyalists endured persecution, property confiscation, and other forms of retaliation from Patriots (those who supported independence). As a result, thousands of Loyalists fled the newly formed United States, seeking refuge in other British territories, one such territory being Canada. Although Canadian culture is no longer passionately loyal to the Crown, the accompanying elements remain, hence why Canadian culture still places itself in opposition to the United States. Which leads us to the most prolific modern-day symbol of American mores: McDonald's. With its relentless expansion and pervasive influence, it has become a symbol of cultural corporate imperialism and a subversive entity that undermines the values that used to define the working-class grassroots that characterized the nation. This assertion is not simply a condemnation of a large fast-food chain; it is a lament for the loss of Canadian authenticity, replaced by a homogenized globalized culture that places the United States at its …show more content…
But the warmth is a façade. The narrative presented in the ad ties back to the allure of the capitalistic pseudo-monopolization of the imagination (Jhally, 2000). The story presented is a manipulation of Canadian cultural symbols by the pervasive influence of a multinational corporation. These advertising tactics are of an insidious nature. As stated in Giroux’s ‘Neoliberalism’s War on Democracy’: “Neoliberalism's "best trick' is to persuade individuals, as a matter of common sense, that they should imagine [themselves] as... solitary agent[s] who can and must live the good life promised by capitalist culture." Giroux, 2014 -. They do not simply sell products; they sell ideologies, drawing attention away from the fact that the socioeconomic structure is in the hands of an exorbitantly wealthy elite few. In the case of McDonald's, there is a promotion of a neoliberal culture that only prioritizes community if there is a profit motive. It places convenience over tradition and erases uniqueness under the guise of comfortable familiarity. The once vibrant mosaic of diversity as seen in Canadian culture is overshadowed by the golden arches, symbolizing the encroachment of the American homogeneity over
Finally, if the comparison were ever made a survey, it would really show the full scale of Americanization in Canada. But until now we can only see from the daily life, how American culture is inviting Canada. Today more then ever, Canadians are in real danger of loosing their national identity. It is unfortunate that if the study of this cultural influence will be done few years later, it might be too late to save Canadian culture and identity.
Canada as a nation has been striving to characterize itself as more ?Canadian? for decades. This has included numerous struggles and events such as protests, bans, and the creation of the Massey Commission, to encourage national development in the arts, and support major companies like the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and National Film Board (NFB). However, this has not been an easy task for the Canadian government, as major influences from below the border (the United States) have been captivating the Canadian audiences by large. American media has had a momentous revolutionizing effect on Canada, even through efforts made to define Canada with its own cultural identity.
At the end of chapter six, George Ritzer lists suggestions for those of us who wish to combat McDonaldization, a term he coined himelf, and the topic of this essay. Ritzer warns the reader to not fall victim to the, “mindless trap,”(Ritzer 158) of Mcdonalized systems. He writes that, “a major motivation behind writing this book is to alert reader to the dangers of McDonaldization and to motivate them to act to stem its tide”(Ritzer 161). Despite McDonaldizations great momentum, natural limits and personal interests provide barriers to it. Ritzer feels that the struggle itself, to combat Mcdonaldization, is ennobling. In this essay I will attempt to accomplish three objectives. First, I will relate Ritzers study to max weber’s theory of rationalization. Second, I will describe the
Tim Horton's is a typical Canadian coffee shop. By observing and interpreting this setting, we can understand Canadian culture as it's expressed in that setting. Understanding this small part of Canadian culture can then be applied, in a broader way, to the culture of Canadian society. A certain language that is special to customers of Tim Horton's serves a purpose that most are not aware of, big business is changing and confusing our traditional culture with a new culture that is run and concerned with money by large corporations. Canadians are generally friendly and polite to one another but are not community oriented, they are more individualistic.
In the last 20 years the penetration of the Canadian market by American cultural industries is still extremely strong. The United States is still the main source of culture products. American products represent 81% of all culture commodity imports. Canadians watch American TV shows, listen to American music, love American sports teams, drive American cars and buy American goods at American stores like Walmart. They eat American food, drink American beer (sometimes).
The culture of Canada refers to the shared values, attitudes, standards, and beliefs that are a representative of Canada and Canadians. Throughout Canada's history, its culture has been influenced by American culture because of a shared language, proximity, television and migration between the two countries. Over time, Canadian-American relations have helped develop Canada’s identity during the years 1945-1982; thus introducing changing social norms, media and entertainment. In support of this, due to the United States being approximately 9.25 times larger in population and having the dominant cultural and economic influence, it played a vital role in establishing Canada’s identity. With Canada being its neighbour, naturally, the United States would influence their way of life upon Canada.
Today 1 in 4 Americans visit a fast food restaurant on a daily basis. About 95% of the commercials that children see are for foods filled with sugars and fats. Children are bombarded with images of fast food by media advertising. Most Americans understand the marketing strategy of McDonald's -- appealing to the young. From an early age children are lured into McDonald’s by promotions of toys, actions figures, yummy food packaged into Happy Meals, and small on site playgrounds. The food is fast, comparatively cheap, and hot. In the film Spurlock interviewed a family in front of the White House and asked them to recite the Pledge of the Allegiance. After they wearily recited it, the family was asked about their memories of McDonald’s. Their faces lit...
The American life has been transformed by the fast food industry not just changing the American diet but also the culture, workplace, economy, and the landscape. “Today about half of the money used to buy food is spent at restaurants-mainly fast food restaurants.” (Schlosser) This could be due to the fact that about two-thirds of working women are mothers. The impact of fast food on the American culture is transparent when just looking at McDonald’s. McDonald’s has become the world’s most famous brand; the golden arches are more known than the Christian cross. “A survey of American schoolchildren found that 96 percent could identify Ronald McDonald.” (Schlosser) McDonald’s is responsible for 90 percent of new jobs in The United States. The landscape has changed due to the fast food ...
“ Canada 's national obsession seems to be its own identity.” For many years Canada has feared the increasing influence of its North American neighbors on its culture - the United States . It has become a matter of growing concern for the people of power and influence in Canada to maintain their separate cultural identity and to promote their own cultural norms. Gaetan Tremblay presents his views on this topic and does this from the perspective of a person living and working in Quebec.
sociologist George Ritzer argues that the relationship between McDonald’s and our society runs even deeper. Beyond its commercial propaganda and symbolism, Ritzer says, McDonald’s is a potent manifestation of the rational processes that define modern society.
A world without the Big Mac, Happy Meals, Chicken McNuggets, and the phrase “I’m lovin’ it,” is almost inconceivable. People around the globe have become accustomed to the high gleaming golden arches that make up the famous emblem for McDonald’s. McDonald’s has grasped the concept that culture flows from power. In this case, the American culture flows through the veins of this fast-food giant and the more that is supplied, the greater the demand. It is no secret that McDonald’s has become one of the world’s largest fast-food retailers. It has become a well known icon that has played a huge part in globalization, with chains located in many different countries… transforming the meaning of fast-food all around the world.
...ndustry well established in Canada, McDonalds’ traditional competitors have all found their own niche. Their constant changes are more directed at customer satisfaction then keeping inline with their competitors.
Globalization has influenced almost each aspect of life in almost every nation. From economic to social to culture, this widespread exchange of goods, services and ideas have affected changes around the world. Even though the cultural influence in globalization is of slight significance to policy makers, its power has tremendous consequences to the nations involved and its people. Food is the oldest global carrier of culture.” Any changes in the foods that we eat, in its preparation, the way it is served and consumed diminishes the traditional beliefs of the people.
Vignali, C. (2001). McDonald’s: “think global, act local”--the marketing mix. British Food Journal, 103(2), pp.97--111.
Ritzer, George. The McDonaldization of Society. Revised New Century Edition. California: Pine Forge Press, 2004.