homogenization
The process by which diverse cultural experiences and environments become standardized and uniform, exemplified by similar fast-food experiences worldwide.
1 chapter across 1 book
The McDonaldization of Society: Into the Digital Age (2019)George Ritzer
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.