Karl Mannheim's Conception of Self-Rationalization "Karl Mannheim's conception of self-rationalization is useful in understanding what is one of the central social psychological processes of organizational life. In a world where appearances - in the broadest sense - mean everything, the wise and ambitious person learns to cultivate assiduously the proper, prescribed modes of appearing. He dispassionately takes stock of himself, treating himself as an object. He analyses his strengths and weaknesses, and decides what he needs to change in order to survive and flourish in his organization. And then he systematically undertakes a program to reconstruct his image. Self-rationalization curiously parallels the methodical subjection of self to God's will that the old Protestant Ethic counseled; the difference, of course, is that one acquires not moral virtues but a masterful ability to manipulate personae."(Berger p.263)) Like Mannheim, Ritzer also analyzes society but on a more macro level. Ritzer describes the McDonaldised society as a system of "iron cages" in which all institutions come to be dominated by the same principle. The fundamental problem with McDonaldised systems is that it's other people in the system structuring our lives for us, rather than us structuring our lives for ourselves. "You don't want a creative person clerk at the counter - that's why they are scripted. You don't want a creative hamburger cook - you want somebody who simply follows routines or follows scripts." That's the reason why it is dehumanizing." (Ritzer) Humanity is essentially creative and if you develop these systems that are constraining and controlling people they can't be creative, they can't be human. "The idea is to turn humans into h... ... middle of paper ... ...es his downfall and ultimately his death. Ritzer argues that we have lost touch with our traditional beliefs in that fact that postmodern ways such as McDonalization has ruined our way of life. Okonkwo would have agreed with Rizer in that aspect that Christianity like McDonalization has corrupted our society. Lasch would also be in agreement with Okonkwo in the fact that Lasch believes that the New Elites have corrupted society as we see it. The older generation of Elites were good people who gave back to their community and created a bond of friendship and respect with the people. Okonkwo would agree that there culture has changed in the face of new power with in his African society. Ritzer, Okonkwo and Lasch would all agree on a sense of agency. Agency being a reluctance to change. All three people are over whelmed by social change within their own society.
The Arbinger Institute’s book describes how Zagrum’s top initiative is to reduce “self-deception” both on an individual and organizational level. This idea of self-deception is the philosophy where one is not aware of a problem. Self-deception is like a disease within a company and the symptoms of this disease are “people problems”. This idea relates to being in the box. When out of the box, people are seen as people, in the box, people are seen as objects.
Critically analyse Ritzer's theory of ‘McDonaldization' and the associated term ‘McJobs'. To what extent do you agree with Ritzer's argument that a ‘McDonaldization of Society' is occurring in modern times, said to be characterized by the increasing rationalisation of work organisation? Illustrate arguments with practical real-world examples.
When Okonkwo thought about the transformation of his son the novel said, “A sudden fury rose within him and he felt a strong desire to take up his machete, go to the church and wipe out the entire vile and miscreant gang. But on further thought he told himself that Nwoye was not worth fighting for.” (114) The Western culture challenged Okonkwo’s identity by almost letting him fall into his redundancy of anger; Resulting in his thinking about slaughtering the White People.
Chest Barnard, president of the New Jersey Bell Telephone Company, writes how important good communication systems are to see an organization thrive in his book, The Functions of the Executive. One must encourage workers to contribute to the organizations by inducing them to do so. Barker states that Barnard view workers as docile, uninspired creatures and lacked sensitivity. Barker discussed Abraham Maslow 's, a sociologist, Hierarchy of Needs who states that people are motivated by physiological, safety, belongingness and love, esteem and self-actualization needs. To motivate workers, management must be sensitive the needs of the workers. The next theory discussed in Barker 's, "Public Administration in Canada," is Douglas Macgregor 's Theory X and Y. Theory X states people need to be threatened, lazy and need to closely supervised to do the work required. In contrast, Theory Y claims employees are self-motivated, independent and able to fulfill their job roles on their own. Organizational humanism is often criticized since these theories are seen as a way to manipulate employees to get employers their desired goals. Many people label organizational humanism as "Country Club" management since organizational humanist set these elegant standards for the work
In today’s world, technology and current norms drive a large portion of everyday life that the vocabulary becomes a common universal language. For example, if you don’t know or understand something, just “google” or ask “siri” about it, write a “blog” about a recent experience, or witnessed the latest “post” that has received over 1.6K “likes”. George Ritzer describes the same thing with the fast food restaurant McDonald’s in his video “The McDonaldization of Society”. He defines McDonaldization as the process by which principles of the fast food restaurant have begun to overflow and dominate all aspects of our world.
In his In Defense of Masks, Kenneth Gergen considers that it is challenging, almost impossible, and even “poor psychology” to find and stick to a single identity in all social interactions. Therefore, he argues with Polonius’ advice to his son Laertes persuading the young man that it is vital to be always and with everybody true to one’s self. On the one hand, Gergen asserts that a healthy personality should develop “a firm and coherent sense of identity” to comply with moral and religious values. Nevertheless, one should also take into account the society, which imposes rather different masks on the individual. Hence, there is obviously a controversy in the need to develop a coherent sense
When Ritzer began writing and talking about the dangers of "McDonaldization," he struck a nerve: some agreed with him, but many others rushed to defend the pop-culture institution. He went on to write a social critique on the subject, applying sociological theories to the culture in a way that lay readers would understand. The McDonaldization of Society (Pine Forge/Sage Publications) was successful enough that he wrote several follow-ups, including The McDonaldization Thesis and Enchanting a Disenchanted World (both Sage Publications).
...e in the novel in that it represents quite closely the moral struggle of the reader. Although the reader might view the practices of the African clan to be wrong, they can empathize with Okonkwo, and also see the morally appalling actions of the Christians.
The McDonaldization Thesis presupposes some familiarity with sociologist George Ritzer's earlier work, The McDonaldization of Society (1993), in which he defines McDonaldization as "the process by which the principles of the fast-food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as the rest of the world". These principles include efficiency, predictability, calculability (or an emphasis on quantification), and control (especially via non-human technologies). All of these combined constitute the formal rationality or basis that makes up McDonaldization. In his works, Ritzer continues to alarm many by depicting McDonaldization as "a largely one-way process in which a series of American innovations are being aggressively exported to much of the rest of the world".
While Marlow is "thrilled" at the idea of a "remote kinship with this wild and passionate uproar,” he remains cognizant of the powerful draw presented by the primitive surroundings, appealing to man’s inherent primordial tendencies (2.8). Throughout his time in the Congo, Marlow remains separate from the capture of primitive humanity. Instead, Charles Marlow observes the fundamental change that has occurred in Kurtz as he has given in to the instinctual state of mind comparable to the ‘savages’ of the Congo. Marlow is able to conclude that Kurtz “could not have been more irretrievably lost" from the conventions of the civilized society in which he was raised (3.9). Kurtz explored the appeal of the “heart of darkness” and found that it is the common denominator present regardless of ‘civilization’ or ‘savagery’ thus justifying his fate and supporting the fragility of ‘civilized’ fundamentals.
This novel has a very strong theme of government rejecting those who are considered nonconformists in modern society. The government then places these nonconformists in mental institutions so it will not have to deal with them. This is society's way of ditching those with nonconformist attitudes so they will disappear from the world and be forgotten. According to one critic, oppressive, conformist, regulatory, civilization is the suppressor of individual freedom (Barsness 433). "He (McMurphy) hadn't let what he looked like run his life one way or the other,anymore than he'd let the Combine (the characters' metaphor for the government) mill him into fitting where they wanted him to fit...He's not gonna let them twist him and manufacture him" (Kesey 153).
In the book “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe, we see the effect the white missionaries had on an African tribe and the antihero Okonkwo. The main character Okonkwo is a tragic hero. Achebe depicts Okonkwo as a Shakespearean hero with a tragic flaw, that tragic flaw is the fact that he will do anything in his power not to be a weak man like his father Unoka. Okonkwo did what he did because he hated his father and would do anything in his power to be the exact opposite of his father.
As a result, hypocrisy engendered a sense of superiority, false ideologies to grow and laid way to moral corruption to anyone who came into contact with it. Europe was considered to be a developed country equipped with the rules that held a society together, and these qualities deemed European countries as civilized. In contrast, the unchartered territory Marlow set foot upon was painted in stark contrast. There were no rules binding these European colonists in Africa and as a result they were free from social restraints. A prime example of a corrupted individual in Conrad’s story is through the development of Kurtz. As explained in his report forwarded to the company, Kurtz started off in search of adventure to carry out great deeds just like Marlow expected to do so as he embarked on his journey.
Allen is an individual motivated by the desire to enhance his life and achieve specific goals. Making him an excellent example of Rogers views on self-actualization. Allen also exhibits distinct characteristics that correspond with concepts in Rogers theory. He displays an organismic valuing process throughout his life as he dreams of attending college and finding a more fulfilling career. Additionally, through Rogers theory we are able to identify key components of Allen’s self-concept; mainly that he feels as if he is not the person people believe him to be. This feeling of inconsistency in perceived self and true self lends itself to Rogers’ concept of incongruence in personality. Allen exhibits all of these characteristics and more based on the limited information provided. Ultimately, Allen identifies his goal as a desire to move forward towards more competency and an enhanced
Howard Schultz wants to start a company his father had failed to work in. In the company, everyone will get the respect and attention, no matter where you come from, what color is your skin, and what your education level is. According to Maslow’s theory of needs, esteem need and self-actualization can be satisfied here. Schultz used the treatment to attract and retain people who have the same values with Starbucks. The inspirational motivation, mutual trust and individualized concern for employees make him a transformational