What does the term McDonaldization imply? What does the term efficiency mean? How has the educational institution been impacted by the need to become more efficient?

The "McDonaldization" of America is frightening. Instant gratification is the way of the modern, globalized world. From the way we eat to the way we shop, everything is becoming cut-and-dried, fast, and impersonal.

The term "McDonaldization" means efficiency. The endless, ruthless pursuit of efficiency and the almighty dollar. Grab your burger as you drive your gas-guzzling car to your menial job where you'll be stressed out, and do it again on the way home just before you withdraw money at the drive-thru ATM to rent a movie at a RedBox where you don't even have to deal with any people.

This attitude has a profound effect on education. Get the kids through school quickly, but not so quickly that they miss that essential socialization that makes them "good citizens." We want our drones. They need to blindly accept this new reality where everything is cold and concise.

Yes, this is a pretty pessimistic view, but it's also somewhat true. Depending on how you see it, the future can look pretty bleak. We have to get back our details, our humanness, if things are to get better.

23 July, 2009