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disenchantment
The loss of magic, uniqueness, or meaningfulness in social interactions and experiences due to over-rationalization.
1 chapter across 1 book
The McDonaldization of Society: Into the Digital Age (2019)George Ritzer
Chapter 7 The Irrationality of Rationality: Traffic Jams on Those “Happy Trails” Inefficiency: Long Lines at the Checkout
Chapter 7 explores the paradoxical consequences of rationalization in modern society, particularly through the lens of McDonaldization. It highlights how efforts to increase efficiency and predictability often lead to inefficiencies such as traffic jams and long checkout lines, alongside social and cultural costs including dehumanization, homogenization, and disenchantment. The chapter also examines the extension of McDonaldization principles into diverse domains like education, healthcare, and digital spaces, revealing widespread irrationalities masked by the veneer of rational systems.