129 lines
5.7 KiB
Plaintext
129 lines
5.7 KiB
Plaintext
The following is an excerpt from George Ritzer's _The McDonaldization of
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Society_ (c)1993 Pine Forge Press.
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The following list contains suggested actions that individuals can take
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to cope with McDonaldization. In most cases, they assume prior action
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by others to create nonrationalized enterprises in those niches.
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* Avoid living in apartments or tract houses. Try to live in an
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atypical environment, preferably one you have built yourself or have had
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built for you. If you must live in an apartment or a tract house,
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humanize and individualize it. In fact, the residents of Levittown, the
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original tract house community, have done just that so that one now sees
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"The Levitt box disguised as a Tudor Manor, a Swiss chalet, a
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Pennsylvania Dutch Barn."
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* Avoid daily routine as much as possible. Try to do as many things as
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possible in a different way from one day to the next.
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* More generally, do as many things as you can for yourself. If you
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must use various servers, frequent nonrationalized, nonfranchised
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establishments. For example, lubricate your won car. if you are
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unwilling or unable to do so, have it done at your local, independent
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gasoline station. Do not, at all costs, frequent on of the franchised
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lube businesses.
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* Instead of popping into H&R Block at income-tax time, hire a local
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accountant, preferably one who works out of an office in the home.
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* Similarly, the next time a minor medical or dental emergency leads you
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to think of a visit to a "McDoctor" or a "McDentist," resist the
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temptation and go instead to your neighborhood doctor or dentist,
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preferably one who is in solo practice.
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* The next time you need a pair of glasses, use the local store-front
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optometrist rather than the Pearle Vision Center.
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* Avoid Hair Cuttery and other hair cutting chains; the next time your
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hair needs cutting, go to a local barber or hairdresser.
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* At least once a week, pass up lunch at McDonald's and frequent a local
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greasy spoon. For dinner, again at least once a week, park the car,
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unplug the microwave, avoid the freezer, and cook a meal from scratch.
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* To really shake up the clerk at the department store, use cash rather
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than your credit card.
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* Send back to the post office all junk mail, especially that which is
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addressed to "occupant" or "resident."
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* The next time you are phoned by a computer, gently place the phone on
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the floor, thereby allowing the disembodied voice to drove on and
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occupying the line so that others will not be bothered by such calls for
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a while.
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* When dialing a business, always choose the "voice mail" option that
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permits you to speak to a real person.
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* Never buy artificial products such as Molly McButter and Butter Buds.
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* Seek out restaurants that use real china and metal utensils; avoid
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those that use material like styrofoam that adversely affect the
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environment.
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* Organize groups to protest abuses by McDonaldized systems. As we have
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seen, these systems do adapt to such protests. If you work in such a
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system, organize your coworkers to create more humanized working
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conditions.
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* If you must frequent a fast food restaurant, dine at one, such as
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Macheezmo Mouse Mexican Cafe, that has demonstrated some sensitivity to
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the dangers of McDonaldization.
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* If you are a regular at McDonald's, develop personal ties with the
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counterpeople; try to get to know them. Also, do what else you can to
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humanize it. In fact, curing the breakfast hours, customers have done
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just that' they have "subverted the process" of McDonaldization. Instead
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of hastening through their meal, many breakfast customers "come every
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day of the week to read their papers, cat, drink coffee, and gobble down
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an Egg McMuffin." If breakfasts can be de-McDonaldized, why not other
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meals? Other aspects of the fast food experience?
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* Make an effort and read THE NEW YORK TIMES rather than USA TODAY once
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a week. Similarly, watch PBS news once a week with its three long
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stories rather than the network new shows with their numerous snippets
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of news.
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* More generally, watch as little television as possible. If you must
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watch TV, keep the channel selector on PBS. If you must watch one of
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the networks, turn off the sound and avert your eyes during commercials.
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After all, most commercials are sponsored by rationalized enterprises
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and they tout the virtues of rationalization.
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* Avoid most finger foods
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* For your next vacation, go to only one locale and get to know it well.
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* Never enter a domed stadium or one with artificial grass; make
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periodic pilgrimages to Fenway Park.
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* Avoid classes where tests are short answer and graded by computer. If
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a computer-graded exam is unavoidable, make extraneous marks and curl
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the edges of the exam so that the computer cannot deal with it.
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* Seek out small classes; get to know your professors.
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* Go to no movies that have Roman numerals after their names.
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It is particularly important that steps be taken to prevent children form
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becoming mindless supporters of McDonaldization.
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* Instead of using a "McChild" care center, leave your child with a
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neighborhood parent interested in earning some extra money.
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* Keep your children away from the television as much as possible. It
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is especially important they they not be exposed to the steady barrage
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of commercials from rationalized institutions, especially on Saturday
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morning cartoon shows.
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* Lead efforts to keep McDonaldization out of the school system.
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* If you can afford it, send your child to a small, non-McDonaldized
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educational institution.
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* Above all, when possible, avoid taking your children to fast0food
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restaurants or their clones in other areas of society. If no
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alternatives are present (for example, you're on a highway and the only
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options are various fast-food chains), blindfold your child until the
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ordeal is over.
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