Rationalization

(not my photo)

(not my photo)

    Rationalization occurs when people apply economic logic to all human activities. Rationalization came about through the development of bureaucracies. Bureaucracies are simply just administratively organizing large groups of people who need to work together. Basically, it's logical to go to work (maybe at McDonald's) and make money but it's not a good thing to work nonstop without sleep, skip time with your family, and do almost nothing else. It's human to need time with your family but often working or school can take up that time. Digging further into McDonald's we can see that it is another perfect example of rationalization. In fact there is a term named after McDonald's that means being excessively and radically rational called "McDonadlization". You begin by taking a small task and breaking it down further and further until it is done in the quickest most efficient way possible. The food is rational, it is cheap, it is easy, and it is quick. However, it's not healthy, fresh, and it's really not the best tasting food either. Now think of the workers inside doing the same routine task over and over again often for long hours at a time. This results in people acting like machines and possibly even being replaced by machines. Too much rationalization can turn into a term called "the iron cage" coined by our best friend Weber. It refers to our increased rationalization in our social life. The cage traps victims in systems based on teleological efficiency, rationality, and control.