I thought this video was very entertaining. It does show a really good job of how the process of Mcdonaldization can be really dehumanizing. For instance, the manager told the women working that if they let even one piece of candy pass by them without being wrapped they would be fired. That is very dehumanizing. I cannot imagine having that kind of pressure to be perfect. People make mistakes. It just is how we are made. Even though this video was funny, it did show the reality of many people's lives and the stress they have. The manager wanted the women to be efficient, but yet efficiency at the cost of making a person feel terrible is not okay. swimmer001
I completely agree, this clip represents how low a human can feel if they mess up. we are human and we are programmed to make mistakes or else we will never learn. So, by telling another human being that if they mess up once they are fired goes against our human nature. Toby001
The reality is life can be stressful...sometimes as stressful as we make it to be. There are people that like these kinds of jobs surprisingly. It can all vary as far as your management and who you work for as far as just how dehumanizing these kinds of jobs can get. Great response swimmer! WonderWoman001
The problem with being concerned about how people feel, is that most people have jobs as a means to and end. Not about feeling good about what you do. Businesses can't produce products based on how their workers feel, because it's a business. It's whole existence is for the sake of making money or providing a service and making money. I guess that's the trade off. Do what you love or trade your time for some cash. Arizona001
I thought that this episode of I Love Lucy, was extremely accurate on the topics we are learning. I have never personally worked in a factory but I have heard stories of how laborious and stressful it can be. Though, Lucy and her friend were just working with chocolates I could feel the tension for them to complete their task or else they would have lost their job. It is sad how replaceable a person can feel especially when they work hard at their job or career. This short clip represents how demoralizing a human can feel if they are assigned one task for multiple years. Toby001
Working in a factory is terrible and I wouldn't advise anyone to work in one. However their are people who don't have any other choice when work is scarce or they don't know any better. TooTall001
I have never worked in a factory, but I do know how the working conditions are closely. This is because back in India my grand father owns a factory. Factory makes plastic out of raw material, basically recycling. I remember visiting there all the time, and the conditions that workers worked in. Of course not bad, but something I wouldn't see myself working at. khush001
Still to this day we have companies like this. For example, I experienced this first hand working for a company that stamped out heat shields for automobiles and certain small car parts. The numbers were set by someone who was an overachiever and felt impossible to reach for everyone else. In order to get paid minimum wage that day you had to reach that number. If I didn't get that amount I felt insufficient and worried I would lose my job. Also, you didn't even make minimum wage if you didn't reach those numbers. Working at a job like this made me feel dehumanized and like I didn't have any power or say so in my future. I was constantly worried I wouldn't make enough money to pay my bills and/or lose my job totally. TooTall001
Tootall001 I can agree with you that a job that makes you feel low can keep you worried about life in general. No job that you can handle should ever make you feel that way. When you start a job they all give you descriptions on how to do the job and sometimes new workers coming in are not up to par like the ones that have been working there for years which managers should be understanding and give you a little time to show that you can work efficient just like everyone else. LAWS001
I would have to agree with Weber on feeling rational systems were efficient but dehumanizing. At the end of the day we make choices whether or not we take certain jobs or career paths, why we take these jobs, how we live, what we need to survive. I've worked in what would probably be considered dehumanizing jobs, but I paid the bills that I had created as far as a house payment, car, living expenses etc. I used to think that having jobs like these we would be struggling forever. They do make you feel like you will never get ahead or "have what you want". Stability doesn't exist anymore. You have to be flexible and have as many skills as possible to survive in our economy. At the same time we don't have to keep up with the Jone's and we can live more simply. I have hopes that going to college, furthering my skills it will give me more freedom as in what career path I chose to go down. Going away from the kinds of jobs that dehumanize people. I believe that life is more rare. I think we all want a little freedom and a lot of say so in how we live our life. I have much respect for people who work very hard in every situation they might be in. This inspires me to keep working hard at building my skills to have more freedom in my choices. WonderWoman001
Good for you, WonderWoman, you have a good attitude about life. I think the key insight you had was that "we all want a little freedom and a lot of say in how we live our life." In the end, I think society and the circumstances of one's life (family, wealth, race, age, gender) does put some constraints on one's freedom, but I firmly believe that most of us have a lot of say in how we live life and that this is the most important part. I have friends who have grown up in families that were falling apart, had very little money, but who tried and gave everything they did their best effort and ended up really going places and doing great things like going to engineering school. Some of these friends received a lot of help in the forms of advice, encouragement, and money from other generous people though, so it's really important for all of us to try and work together to help each other out. thestig001
I think this very humorous video might actually be an example of a problem of bureaucracy. The lady in charge represents the bureaucrat, or the whole company which has a goal of being very efficient and producing the maximum possible amount of chocolate. However, in cranking up the conveyor belt too fast and demanding perfection of Lucy and her friend (a dyad), the chocolate company exhibits bureaucratic ritualism in focusing on the goal of producing max chocolate and not making any mistakes, which ends up actually undermining those goals. The conveyor belt goes too fast and Lucy and her friend can't keep up, which results in a great amount of inefficiency and product loss. In rationalizing their goals, the company failed to take into account the limitations of human ability and imperfection! thestig001
I think its interesting how you mentioned the singular goal of the company, that is "being very efficient and producing the maximum possible amount of chocolate." It appears that this most bureaucratic businesses which are notorious for dehumanizing its workers have singular goals such as these: maximum efficiency for greatest profit. I wonder if such companies would expand their goals to maximize the potential of their workers such degrading effects of factory work would slowly dissipate. Karma001
I am so glad that someone else thought of this. The ignorance a single part in the bureaucratic organization ruins the ability of the people below them to do their job. Because the manager told the chocolate givers to speed it up, the chocolate wrappers were unable to wrap all of the chocolates, and therefore the chocolate boxers were unable to box all of the chocolates, thus rendering the entire organization completely useless. It also touches upon how one part of the organization will try to hide the failure of the system. The effect of the organization was that no chocolates were being boxed. In reality, the problem first presented itself when the manager gave faulty instructions. Even though the ladies tried to hide their failure it would be evident in the result that no chocolates became boxed. And even though the true error came from the manager the ladies would be fired because they were the group in the organization where the problem presented itself. To connect it to recent events, we have the Amtrak derailment as a perfect example. In 2009 we supposedly approved of an 800 billion dollar stimulus package to be used on our infrastructure and economy. People in our government are claiming that there is still not enough spending on infrastructure, and that we need to spend more money on it. They have been using the Amtrak derailment as an example of not enough funding. The problem is that when you look at the actual accident it is evident that funding was not the reason for the derailment. Some of the money in that stimulus package was allocated to install a digital safety net for trains that would automatically slow down the train if it was going too fast. The Amtrak train was going about 100 mph at the point of derailment, when it should have been going closer to 50 mph. 6 years have passed and you are telling me that the money sent to install this digital system hasn't been used yet? It turns out that it was already installed, for at least a year. It wasn't online because there was a problem with the programming and no one in the bureaucracy had gotten around to actually addressing it. Lives were needlessly endangered because of an inefficient bureaucracy, and people are still willing to hide the real problem, because their lifestyle depends on the continued existence of said bureaucracy. A problem that would have been quickly addressed our rail system was privately funded and operated as the rest of the world has started to do. FreedomUnderGod001
Old people humor is so much more light-hearted, thought provoking, and mature than the things people find humorous today (a simple glance at Youtube with examples of Smosh and CollegeHumor and Pewdiepie come to mind). When it comes to bureaucracies, it should be noted that they are blind to all of these aspects of diversity. The only goal that matters with them is their perpetual existence. This inevitably leads to the idea that the higher-ups managing the bureaucracy doesn't actually care about their lower workers. I think this is what Karl Marx focused on without looking at the bigger picture. The problem is that people don't realize that the people at the top of the organization are the same as the people at the bottom, they are simply human. By demonizing these people, you are dehumanizing them too. FreedomUnderGod001
Lucy and Ethel are working at wrapping candy and can’t keep up. There’s an expectation for them to work efficiently and for the work to be done in a timely matter. The problem is that the unpredictable and uncontrolled parts of this whole equation are the people. At the threat of their livelihood, they’re expected to be perfect. Fair or not, this is the problem with the Mcdonaldization of the work that people do. The consumer who is expecting quality and efficiency is not considering the dehumanized worker on the other end. It just doesn’t factor in to the choices that the consumer is making. When it does factor in, however, that’s how we can change the world of work. Arizona001
I definitely think what you said about the process of McDonaldization is unfair. Companies cannot expect their employees to be perfect. People make mistakes. That is a good point that the consumer does tend to forget about how the product is made. I for one do not spend a lot of time thinking about where my clothes or food are made. swimmer001
I completely agree with your comment. I feel like as a nation and probably worldwide we expect everything to be cheap and readily at our disposal. We rarely take time to think about the people who are overworked and underpaid. I would hate to work at a job that was dehumanizing. I would not like to work at a factory and produce the same things day in and day out. These workers do not get enough credit for their work. SVT001.
Most def. SVT001 I mean hello...we are not machines made to be perfect. We make mistakes. Companies, corporations whatever they are really can not depend on the worker to not make some kind of mistake. Managers should try to do the work and get a little taste of how much they are expecting from others. HollaGurl001
I agree with you Arizona001 because we have expectations at jobs. If we can't accomplish threse expectations then why work at the job. If these expectations aren't met then the job is not getting done efficiently or the right way. A person has to be suitable for this position and accuretly perofmr the tasks to be done. Summer001
Most workers do their jobs to the best of their abilities. In this case it was pretty humorous to watch Lucy and her friend attempt to wrap all of the candies. This video actually can show the bureaucratic system failing the average worker. The company finds that you are doing a great job and they of course speed up the belt to increase productivity. I think I would try to speed the belt up if I owned a business. I however would hire more people and participate in the job myself, so I could know the expectations of what I desired. Overall it was a good video to show us that sometimes we need extra help and or extra resources. SVT001.
I agree with what you said in regards to the system failing the average worker. We see it in about every business from schools to factories. It is kind of human nature though to lean on the people who are doing the best work. Sometimes leaning on them too much is a bad thing because the worker will get frustrated and either quit or complain that the work is getting too hard. In an ideal world though a company would promote the hard working employee instead of burdening them with more tasks. glassonion001
Watching this video convinces me all the more to never work in a factory, it seem terrifying. The tedious work would be maddening, I applaud those who have been able to endure that! Karl Marx would have needed to be very perceptive to observe the dehumanizing effect menial factory work have on the employee's. It is saddening how humanity has created capitalistic societies that disempowers individuals from reading their full potential. Yet even with these disheartening effects, society is a means to provide for the masses and meet the needs of our growing population. I’d hate to settle though. Karma001
Factory work CAN be very fulfilling. I build $4 million dollar mining trucks that are technologically amazing, and they serve a vital role in getting resources from the earth that allow all of us to have a comfortable lifestyle. You would be surprised at the people who choose factory work over their chosen field of study. I have worked with people who have marine biology degrees, and advanced math degrees, but can make more money on the factory floor.Packers001
If only assembly line work was as entertaining as Lucy makes it look. While serving as a proletariat for nearly 15 yrs, the machine of big business can be tormenting to a blue collar worker. Supervision and worker relationships resemble the Stanford Prison Experiment. Perfectly decent human beings turn into power drunk fools when they are given authority over others. Capitalism is messy, and not for the weak of stomach. Also, factory work is often over simplified, and regarded as unskilled work. Nothing is further from the truth. Just like other societies are different, not wrong, but different; Factory work is different, not for everyone, but necessary worthy of respect.Packers001
I thought it was harsh and stressful. I would not work at a factory. It's crazy how the conditions of working in a factory are. I know people who have had tragic accidents while working in factories. An aunt of mine got her finger chopped off. Another lady had her arm just recently injured for working in a factory. I can go on with these incidents but I don't want to get of topic. I feel that there has to be something done to prevent people from getting hurt for working there. I think that for what I know is that people who are immigrants are likely to take the factory jobs. The other people well I'd assume that they get the job because they did not get a better education. Anyways I thought the video overall was not funny. If I were working in a factory god forbid but, if I was I would be terrified to have to loose my job for a little mistake like in the video. But, in reality I bet people do get fired for little things. And there goes the money needed for them to survive and afford a living. It's so much that these women were pressured faster....faster geesh. HollaGurl001
This video was interesting, it is crazy how the expectations are at factory. I think there has to be a good combination of both technology and human services. If the technology is going to speed it up, human power needs to be up too. In this case more people would have helped lucy and her friend or factory in general to cope up with the kind of productivity factory owner was looking for. This kind of bad division between workers and technology can affect efficiency, calculability, and predictability negatively. so we see the here that concept of McDonaldization really rely on each other. khush001
Very true. If they really wanted more product then a factory owner shouldn't put more pressure on an already overworked staff. They should definitely have increased staff at the same rate that they increased workload. They should also have given a little explanation at the most efficient way to wrap the candies. Delta001
In this video, they struggled in this factory. As technology has increased some factories have become easier for the workers and less strefful. There are many machines now that you push a button and the item is boxed itself and a person would carry the box to the delivery section. Technology has improved for better but is also affecting work ethics for society. Since technolgy has improved woth ethics have decreased leaving the workers dependent on technology. Summer001
Hahaha, 'I Love Lucy' got it right. This shows that Mcdonaldization is a process that doesn't reward craft but rewards efficiency. In the video Lucy and her friend were supposed to be able to wrap each little chocolate off a conveterbelt and into a piece of paper. The boss didn't mention anything about how she wanted the chocolate wrapped up, instead she said that "if every piece isn't wrapped then you're fired" . This shows that companies these days just want quantity over quality. glassonion001
most people do have jobs as a means to an end at some point in life, but as you become more of a tool you start to hate the job more and more which is why a lot of these companies have such high turnover rates, the longer your in the work field the more you understand you will most likely work the rest of you life, at some point you realize you better find something you love to do to earn a living at or just be miserable. grateful001
I agree that factory work is miserable, and that working like that definately seems to be daunting. Hopefully that technology can help the workers and improve their workplace, instead of just taking over. Most people that have jobs they like, more than likely will put cause to hate it too over time. Rosebudd001
lol! Lucy and Ethel are sad but prime examples of how non-huminization in the workplace, eventually could shut out humans for the entirety of production lines. I have experienced production lines at Butternut Bakery and I can totally relate, some of the belts are set way too high! The bakery opened up over a hundred years ago, and EVERYTHING was loaded by hand. At the end of the life of the bakery , all of it was modernized,with conveyor belts sending it down the line for you. The efficiency of the machines, let you know whats coming , even though you can't keep up; you still have the expected knowledge of how fast its going to happen-predictability. Rosebudd001
This video was funny and pretty spot on. I remember working in a bread bakery and bosses doing the same, things would be running smoothly and then management would speed the machines and belts up before you know it there would be bread stacked on the floor two feet high and ready to be thrown in the garbage. all this really did that I could see was crate more waste and a hostile work environment at the same time. I would see grow adults crying at work because they knew that phsicically they could not keep up with the pace of production. grateful001
This is an amusing video that show that show how dehumanizing a factory like this can be. Being put under an insane amount of pressure to not let a single candy by when it obviously past human ability to keep up with the amount. Then when one does go by should the worker just quit? They were already told that they would be fired when one goes by so what is really they point at that point. This can put a lot of unreasonable pressure on anyone. Delta001
This video of I love Lucy was a really good example of McDonaldization it shows how dehumanizing some jobs are how they want us to be more like robots then humans. They want use to be perfect and work at superhuman speeds. As it shows in the video the candy start to come out slow then faster and faster most people unless you are a veteran and that job can get all the pieces of the candy. Then they were told not to let a single piece of candy go by arexpected they would get fired that is a lot of pressure to put on just two people. Player001
I agree that this is dehumanizing by making us function as robots. I do understand that a business doesn't want to not satisfy customer needs by being efficient, but throwing this a those operating in the back could be a lot of pressure. There should be some elements of fast food we businesses should just accept in my opinion. Being told not let a single piece get by would put someone under the assumption that they could lose their job if they didn't accomplish this. This may them to do anything just make sure it doesn't happen just as Lucy did. Taylojj2
I really love love Lucy by the way. It is really a eye opener a on a few things. One things is that there is the pressure of authority that makes them feel they need to keep up with such a pave because It is demanded by their boss. In the video I did get to see the four principles that are needed by the mcdonaldization of society. It showed that there was needed efficiency, predictability,uniformity, and control. One of the principles that I felt wasn't a failure in the clip was the control of the employees. It kind of made it as for them to do there jobs by bringing the chocolate straight to them. Unfortunately, it was at a speed they couldn't really handle. Taylojj2
I love Lucy clip is a perfect example. The “Boss” was very thorough on how she wanted things but the ladies could not make one mistake such as letting a piece of candy pass them without wrapping it. When a machine is going at such a fast pace how do you expect anyone to keep up. Sometimes I think they try to make it impossible to see if things can get done but once there is a mishap everything breaks loose which is wrong mistakes happen. I can understand if mistakes happen frequently or even a very serious mistake, workers need to know they cannot get away with it that is understandable. But no one is perfect. Being talked to like the “boss” was talking to them would make me feel very low and no one should feel like that even when they are trying their best. Mcdonaldization was definitely used in this clip and gave a great example of how it really works. LAWS001
I thought this video was very entertaining. It does show a really good job of how the process of Mcdonaldization can be really dehumanizing. For instance, the manager told the women working that if they let even one piece of candy pass by them without being wrapped they would be fired. That is very dehumanizing. I cannot imagine having that kind of pressure to be perfect. People make mistakes. It just is how we are made. Even though this video was funny, it did show the reality of many people's lives and the stress they have. The manager wanted the women to be efficient, but yet efficiency at the cost of making a person feel terrible is not okay.
ReplyDeleteswimmer001
I completely agree, this clip represents how low a human can feel if they mess up. we are human and we are programmed to make mistakes or else we will never learn. So, by telling another human being that if they mess up once they are fired goes against our human nature. Toby001
DeleteThe reality is life can be stressful...sometimes as stressful as we make it to be. There are people that like these kinds of jobs surprisingly. It can all vary as far as your management and who you work for as far as just how dehumanizing these kinds of jobs can get. Great response swimmer! WonderWoman001
DeleteThe problem with being concerned about how people feel, is that most people have jobs as a means to and end. Not about feeling good about what you do. Businesses can't produce products based on how their workers feel, because it's a business. It's whole existence is for the sake of making money or providing a service and making money. I guess that's the trade off. Do what you love or trade your time for some cash. Arizona001
DeleteI thought that this episode of I Love Lucy, was extremely accurate on the topics we are learning. I have never personally worked in a factory but I have heard stories of how laborious and stressful it can be. Though, Lucy and her friend were just working with chocolates I could feel the tension for them to complete their task or else they would have lost their job. It is sad how replaceable a person can feel especially when they work hard at their job or career. This short clip represents how demoralizing a human can feel if they are assigned one task for multiple years. Toby001
ReplyDeleteWorking in a factory is terrible and I wouldn't advise anyone to work in one. However their are people who don't have any other choice when work is scarce or they don't know any better. TooTall001
DeleteI have never worked in a factory, but I do know how the working conditions are closely. This is because back in India my grand father owns a factory. Factory makes plastic out of raw material, basically recycling. I remember visiting there all the time, and the conditions that workers worked in. Of course not bad, but something I wouldn't see myself working at.
Deletekhush001
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteStill to this day we have companies like this. For example, I experienced this first hand working for a company that stamped out heat shields for automobiles and certain small car parts. The numbers were set by someone who was an overachiever and felt impossible to reach for everyone else. In order to get paid minimum wage that day you had to reach that number. If I didn't get that amount I felt insufficient and worried I would lose my job. Also, you didn't even make minimum wage if you didn't reach those numbers. Working at a job like this made me feel dehumanized and like I didn't have any power or say so in my future. I was constantly worried I wouldn't make enough money to pay my bills and/or lose my job totally. TooTall001
ReplyDeleteTootall001 I can agree with you that a job that makes you feel low can keep you worried about life in general. No job that you can handle should ever make you feel that way. When you start a job they all give you descriptions on how to do the job and sometimes new workers coming in are not up to par like the ones that have been working there for years which managers should be understanding and give you a little time to show that you can work efficient just like everyone else. LAWS001
DeleteI would have to agree with Weber on feeling rational systems were efficient but dehumanizing. At the end of the day we make choices whether or not we take certain jobs or career paths, why we take these jobs, how we live, what we need to survive. I've worked in what would probably be considered dehumanizing jobs, but I paid the bills that I had created as far as a house payment, car, living expenses etc. I used to think that having jobs like these we would be struggling forever. They do make you feel like you will never get ahead or "have what you want". Stability doesn't exist anymore. You have to be flexible and have as many skills as possible to survive in our economy. At the same time we don't have to keep up with the Jone's and we can live more simply. I have hopes that going to college, furthering my skills it will give me more freedom as in what career path I chose to go down. Going away from the kinds of jobs that dehumanize people. I believe that life is more rare. I think we all want a little freedom and a lot of say so in how we live our life. I have much respect for people who work very hard in every situation they might be in. This inspires me to keep working hard at building my skills to have more freedom in my choices. WonderWoman001
ReplyDeleteGood for you, WonderWoman, you have a good attitude about life. I think the key insight you had was that "we all want a little freedom and a lot of say in how we live our life." In the end, I think society and the circumstances of one's life (family, wealth, race, age, gender) does put some constraints on one's freedom, but I firmly believe that most of us have a lot of say in how we live life and that this is the most important part. I have friends who have grown up in families that were falling apart, had very little money, but who tried and gave everything they did their best effort and ended up really going places and doing great things like going to engineering school. Some of these friends received a lot of help in the forms of advice, encouragement, and money from other generous people though, so it's really important for all of us to try and work together to help each other out.
Deletethestig001
I think this very humorous video might actually be an example of a problem of bureaucracy. The lady in charge represents the bureaucrat, or the whole company which has a goal of being very efficient and producing the maximum possible amount of chocolate. However, in cranking up the conveyor belt too fast and demanding perfection of Lucy and her friend (a dyad), the chocolate company exhibits bureaucratic ritualism in focusing on the goal of producing max chocolate and not making any mistakes, which ends up actually undermining those goals. The conveyor belt goes too fast and Lucy and her friend can't keep up, which results in a great amount of inefficiency and product loss. In rationalizing their goals, the company failed to take into account the limitations of human ability and imperfection!
ReplyDeletethestig001
I think its interesting how you mentioned the singular goal of the company, that is "being very efficient and producing the maximum possible amount of chocolate." It appears that this most bureaucratic businesses which are notorious for dehumanizing its workers have singular goals such as these: maximum efficiency for greatest profit. I wonder if such companies would expand their goals to maximize the potential of their workers such degrading effects of factory work would slowly dissipate. Karma001
DeleteI am so glad that someone else thought of this. The ignorance a single part in the bureaucratic organization ruins the ability of the people below them to do their job. Because the manager told the chocolate givers to speed it up, the chocolate wrappers were unable to wrap all of the chocolates, and therefore the chocolate boxers were unable to box all of the chocolates, thus rendering the entire organization completely useless. It also touches upon how one part of the organization will try to hide the failure of the system. The effect of the organization was that no chocolates were being boxed. In reality, the problem first presented itself when the manager gave faulty instructions. Even though the ladies tried to hide their failure it would be evident in the result that no chocolates became boxed. And even though the true error came from the manager the ladies would be fired because they were the group in the organization where the problem presented itself. To connect it to recent events, we have the Amtrak derailment as a perfect example. In 2009 we supposedly approved of an 800 billion dollar stimulus package to be used on our infrastructure and economy. People in our government are claiming that there is still not enough spending on infrastructure, and that we need to spend more money on it. They have been using the Amtrak derailment as an example of not enough funding. The problem is that when you look at the actual accident it is evident that funding was not the reason for the derailment. Some of the money in that stimulus package was allocated to install a digital safety net for trains that would automatically slow down the train if it was going too fast. The Amtrak train was going about 100 mph at the point of derailment, when it should have been going closer to 50 mph. 6 years have passed and you are telling me that the money sent to install this digital system hasn't been used yet? It turns out that it was already installed, for at least a year. It wasn't online because there was a problem with the programming and no one in the bureaucracy had gotten around to actually addressing it. Lives were needlessly endangered because of an inefficient bureaucracy, and people are still willing to hide the real problem, because their lifestyle depends on the continued existence of said bureaucracy. A problem that would have been quickly addressed our rail system was privately funded and operated as the rest of the world has started to do. FreedomUnderGod001
ReplyDeleteOld people humor is so much more light-hearted, thought provoking, and mature than the things people find humorous today (a simple glance at Youtube with examples of Smosh and CollegeHumor and Pewdiepie come to mind). When it comes to bureaucracies, it should be noted that they are blind to all of these aspects of diversity. The only goal that matters with them is their perpetual existence. This inevitably leads to the idea that the higher-ups managing the bureaucracy doesn't actually care about their lower workers. I think this is what Karl Marx focused on without looking at the bigger picture. The problem is that people don't realize that the people at the top of the organization are the same as the people at the bottom, they are simply human. By demonizing these people, you are dehumanizing them too. FreedomUnderGod001
ReplyDeleteLucy and Ethel are working at wrapping candy and can’t keep up. There’s an expectation for them to work efficiently and for the work to be done in a timely matter. The problem is that the unpredictable and uncontrolled parts of this whole equation are the people. At the threat of their livelihood, they’re expected to be perfect. Fair or not, this is the problem with the Mcdonaldization of the work that people do. The consumer who is expecting quality and efficiency is not considering the dehumanized worker on the other end. It just doesn’t factor in to the choices that the consumer is making. When it does factor in, however, that’s how we can change the world of work. Arizona001
ReplyDeleteI definitely think what you said about the process of McDonaldization is unfair. Companies cannot expect their employees to be perfect. People make mistakes. That is a good point that the consumer does tend to forget about how the product is made. I for one do not spend a lot of time thinking about where my clothes or food are made.
Deleteswimmer001
I completely agree with your comment. I feel like as a nation and probably worldwide we expect everything to be cheap and readily at our disposal. We rarely take time to think about the people who are overworked and underpaid. I would hate to work at a job that was dehumanizing. I would not like to work at a factory and produce the same things day in and day out. These workers do not get enough credit for their work. SVT001.
DeleteMost def. SVT001
DeleteI mean hello...we are not machines made to be perfect. We make mistakes. Companies, corporations whatever they are really can not depend on the worker to not make some kind of mistake. Managers should try to do the work and get a little taste of how much they are expecting from others.
HollaGurl001
I agree with you Arizona001 because we have expectations at jobs. If we can't accomplish threse expectations then why work at the job. If these expectations aren't met then the job is not getting done efficiently or the right way. A person has to be suitable for this position and accuretly perofmr the tasks to be done.
DeleteSummer001
Most workers do their jobs to the best of their abilities. In this case it was pretty humorous to watch Lucy and her friend attempt to wrap all of the candies. This video actually can show the bureaucratic system failing the average worker. The company finds that you are doing a great job and they of course speed up the belt to increase productivity. I think I would try to speed the belt up if I owned a business. I however would hire more people and participate in the job myself, so I could know the expectations of what I desired. Overall it was a good video to show us that sometimes we need extra help and or extra resources. SVT001.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said in regards to the system failing the average worker. We see it in about every business from schools to factories. It is kind of human nature though to lean on the people who are doing the best work. Sometimes leaning on them too much is a bad thing because the worker will get frustrated and either quit or complain that the work is getting too hard. In an ideal world though a company would promote the hard working employee instead of burdening them with more tasks. glassonion001
DeleteWatching this video convinces me all the more to never work in a factory, it seem terrifying. The tedious work would be maddening, I applaud those who have been able to endure that! Karl Marx would have needed to be very perceptive to observe the dehumanizing effect menial factory work have on the employee's. It is saddening how humanity has created capitalistic societies that disempowers individuals from reading their full potential. Yet even with these disheartening effects, society is a means to provide for the masses and meet the needs of our growing population. I’d hate to settle though. Karma001
ReplyDeleteFactory work CAN be very fulfilling. I build $4 million dollar mining trucks that are technologically amazing, and they serve a vital role in getting resources from the earth that allow all of us to have a comfortable lifestyle. You would be surprised at the people who choose factory work over their chosen field of study. I have worked with people who have marine biology degrees, and advanced math degrees, but can make more money on the factory floor.Packers001
DeleteIf only assembly line work was as entertaining as Lucy makes it look. While serving as a proletariat for nearly 15 yrs, the machine of big business can be tormenting to a blue collar worker. Supervision and worker relationships resemble the Stanford Prison Experiment. Perfectly decent human beings turn into power drunk fools when they are given authority over others. Capitalism is messy, and not for the weak of stomach. Also, factory work is often over simplified, and regarded as unskilled work. Nothing is further from the truth. Just like other societies are different, not wrong, but different; Factory work is different, not for everyone, but necessary worthy of respect.Packers001
ReplyDeleteI thought it was harsh and stressful. I would not work at a factory. It's crazy how the conditions of working in a factory are. I know people who have had tragic accidents while working in factories. An aunt of mine got her finger chopped off. Another lady had her arm just recently injured for working in a factory. I can go on with these incidents but I don't want to get of topic. I feel that there has to be something done to prevent people from getting hurt for working there. I think that for what I know is that people who are immigrants are likely to take the factory jobs. The other people well I'd assume that they get the job because they did not get a better education. Anyways I thought the video overall was not funny. If I were working in a factory god forbid but, if I was I would be terrified to have to loose my job for a little mistake like in the video. But, in reality I bet people do get fired for little things. And there goes the money needed for them to survive and afford a living. It's so much that these women were pressured faster....faster geesh.
ReplyDeleteHollaGurl001
This video was interesting, it is crazy how the expectations are at factory. I think there has to be a good combination of both technology and human services. If the technology is going to speed it up, human power needs to be up too. In this case more people would have helped lucy and her friend or factory in general to cope up with the kind of productivity factory owner was looking for. This kind of bad division between workers and technology can affect efficiency, calculability, and predictability negatively. so we see the here that concept of McDonaldization really rely on each other.
ReplyDeletekhush001
Very true. If they really wanted more product then a factory owner shouldn't put more pressure on an already overworked staff. They should definitely have increased staff at the same rate that they increased workload. They should also have given a little explanation at the most efficient way to wrap the candies.
DeleteDelta001
In this video, they struggled in this factory. As technology has increased some factories have become easier for the workers and less strefful. There are many machines now that you push a button and the item is boxed itself and a person would carry the box to the delivery section. Technology has improved for better but is also affecting work ethics for society. Since technolgy has improved woth ethics have decreased leaving the workers dependent on technology.
ReplyDeleteSummer001
Hahaha, 'I Love Lucy' got it right. This shows that Mcdonaldization is a process that doesn't reward craft but rewards efficiency. In the video Lucy and her friend were supposed to be able to wrap each little chocolate off a conveterbelt and into a piece of paper. The boss didn't mention anything about how she wanted the chocolate wrapped up, instead she said that "if every piece isn't wrapped then you're fired" . This shows that companies these days just want quantity over quality. glassonion001
ReplyDeletemost people do have jobs as a means to an end at some point in life, but as you become more of a tool you start to hate the job more and more which is why a lot of these companies have such high turnover rates, the longer your in the work field the more you understand you will most likely work the rest of you life, at some point you realize you better find something you love to do to earn a living at or just be miserable.
ReplyDeletegrateful001
I agree that factory work is miserable, and that working like that definately seems to be daunting. Hopefully that technology can help the workers and improve their workplace, instead of just taking over. Most people that have jobs they like, more than likely will put cause to hate it too over time. Rosebudd001
Deletelol! Lucy and Ethel are sad but prime examples of how non-huminization in the workplace, eventually could shut out humans for the entirety of production lines. I have experienced production lines at Butternut Bakery and I can totally relate, some of the belts are set way too high! The bakery opened up over a hundred years ago, and EVERYTHING was loaded by hand. At the end of the life of the bakery , all of it was modernized,with conveyor belts sending it down the line for you. The efficiency of the machines, let you know whats coming , even though you can't keep up; you still have the expected knowledge of how fast its going to happen-predictability. Rosebudd001
ReplyDeleteThis video was funny and pretty spot on. I remember working in a bread bakery and bosses doing the same, things would be running smoothly and then management would speed the machines and belts up before you know it there would be bread stacked on the floor two feet high and ready to be thrown in the garbage. all this really did that I could see was crate more waste and a hostile work environment at the same time. I would see grow adults crying at work because they knew that phsicically they could not keep up with the pace of production.
ReplyDeletegrateful001
This is an amusing video that show that show how dehumanizing a factory like this can be. Being put under an insane amount of pressure to not let a single candy by when it obviously past human ability to keep up with the amount. Then when one does go by should the worker just quit? They were already told that they would be fired when one goes by so what is really they point at that point. This can put a lot of unreasonable pressure on anyone.
ReplyDeleteDelta001
This video of I love Lucy was a really good example of McDonaldization it shows how dehumanizing some jobs are how they want us to be more like robots then humans. They want use to be perfect and work at superhuman speeds. As it shows in the video the candy start to come out slow then faster and faster most people unless you are a veteran and that job can get all the pieces of the candy. Then they were told not to let a single piece of candy go by arexpected they would get fired that is a lot of pressure to put on just two people. Player001
ReplyDeletePlayer001
DeleteI agree that this is dehumanizing by making us function as robots. I do understand that a business doesn't want to not satisfy customer needs by being efficient, but throwing this a those operating in the back could be a lot of pressure. There should be some elements of fast food we businesses should just accept in my opinion. Being told not let a single piece get by would put someone under the assumption that they could lose their job if they didn't accomplish this. This may them to do anything just make sure it doesn't happen just as Lucy did. Taylojj2
I really love love Lucy by the way. It is really a eye opener a on a few things. One things is that there is the pressure of authority that makes them feel they need to keep up with such a pave because It is demanded by their boss. In the video I did get to see the four principles that are needed by the mcdonaldization of society. It showed that there was needed efficiency, predictability,uniformity, and control. One of the principles that I felt wasn't a failure in the clip was the control of the employees. It kind of made it as for them to do there jobs by bringing the chocolate straight to them. Unfortunately, it was at a speed they couldn't really handle. Taylojj2
ReplyDeleteI love Lucy clip is a perfect example. The “Boss” was very thorough on how she wanted things but the ladies could not make one mistake such as letting a piece of candy pass them without wrapping it. When a machine is going at such a fast pace how do you expect anyone to keep up. Sometimes I think they try to make it impossible to see if things can get done but once there is a mishap everything breaks loose which is wrong mistakes happen. I can understand if mistakes happen frequently or even a very serious mistake, workers need to know they cannot get away with it that is understandable. But no one is perfect. Being talked to like the “boss” was talking to them would make me feel very low and no one should feel like that even when they are trying their best. Mcdonaldization was definitely used in this clip and gave a great example of how it really works. LAWS001
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