Culture, the Individual,

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Culture, the Individual, Society
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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

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

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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 1994142)
• Examples of this element include the "Big Mac,"
  the Whopper," "Big Gulp," Wendy's "Biggie Meals,"
• The credentialing process.

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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.

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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 1994150).
• 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.

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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

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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

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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