The Pros And Cons Of Mcdonaldization

It seems that everything that used to make the world human is disappearing and is replaced with objects that are not human.

As I was searching for McDonaldization in today's society, I studied and examined the parts where human beings are closed off from each other and would rather communicate with a thing, rather than with each other. I believe that is McDonaldization is. McDonaldization is a concept where human beings are beginning to no longer communicate with each other and would rather communicate with things, because it is more fast paced and creates life to be more "easier." I have realized that everyday, drivers use this idea of McDonaldization when they are getting gas from a gas station and using their debt/credit card to pay up

front instead of going inside to pay.

With people paying for their gas right away at the pump makes life "easier" for people. It is efficient, because an individual can just fill their gas tank up quickly instead of going inside the gas station, wait in line, and then pay inside, and then ultimately wait until the cashier sets up the payment to the pump. Instead, a person can avoid all of this human interaction by paying at the pump with their card, getting their gas, and then quickly leave.

Furthermore, getting gas at the pump also is predictable. Everyone who drives knows how to get gas. People also know that the price for gas will change as days go by, so people can predict that the price for gas will change; however, the concept and the actual doing of getting gas will never change and people like that.

Next, depending on the price of the gas, an individual can receive as much gas as they want to put in their tank within their own control.

This is beneficial for the individual, because a person can receive enough gas to fill their tank and continue their drive until they need more gas again. It seems to be a repeated

single.

Lastly, the self-pumping for gas is controlled.

Everything is controlled through the little computerized system that allows you to pay up front, allows you to choose what kind of guys to use, and controls the system of how to use it. Everything is based with technology and people no longer control that. Decades ago, it was an actual job for people to fill up your tank and make sure that your car is doing well. These people were called a gas station attendant and it is incredibly rare to find this position in the world, because it has been replaced with a controlled technology. "It has also flourished because it has been able to exert greater control through nonhuman technologies over both employees and customers, leading them to behave the way the organization wishes them to" (Ritzer 1983, p. 28). This way to behave is to receive your gas along with paying for it.

I have mentioned before of the gas station attendants who would fill your gas for you; however, this is rarely used in today's society. This features the "irrationality of rationality" idea, where dehumanization takes place. This technology filled basis of receiving gas has not only took away a job, but it takes away human contact with each other. It brings on this setting where technology is in control. It is just a routine for people to get gas and it takes away that raw human

contact.

This can ultimately be an implication to self-served gas stations. With everything being right there for you, where you can pay right up front, you avoid all human contact. You avoid going inside the gas station and speaking with a person and instead spend time with a machine. This self-served gas station as we have noticed took away a job that people used to have. What else will it do in the future? As technology expands, the avoidance of human contact will continue and people will perhaps begin to suffer from that. People have the need to communicate. What will happen when interpersonal communication only is between technology? It is definitely interesting to see how something as simple as a self-served gas pump can change the world in a significant way.