calculability-obsession

It highlights the zeal for speed and the reduction of production and service to quantifiable measures, such as exact sizes or numerical ratings.

1 chapter across 1 book

The McDonaldization of Society: Into the Digital Age (2019)George Ritzer

Chapter 5 Efficiency and Calculability: McJobs and Other McDonaldized Occupations 1

Chapter 5 explores how the principles of McDonaldization—efficiency and calculability—manifest in various occupations and industries, including fast food, academia, medicine, sports, politics, and digital work environments. It critically examines the fetishization of efficiency and the obsession with quantifiable metrics, illustrating how these drive standardized, mechanized, and dehumanizing work processes. The chapter highlights the reduction of complex tasks and human experiences into measurable units, often at the cost of quality and individuality.