I enjoy my unit of global communication very much. Today there were two groups of presentation. One of them discussed the topic of sports globalization, and another one is McDonaldization. After the tutorial class everyone is required to write a blog weekly about the lesson. I have just done it and feel excited to share my views. The following is not all I want to express, since I can only write a maximum of 250. But anyway I have written around 280 words. *Winky.
McDonaldization marks the importance of McDonald’s in the progress of globalization. McDonald’s is found in centre, and also the margin like China and Southeast Asian nations. The fast-food restaurant chain has brought its American style countries worldwide. For example, fast food was not popular until McDonald’s has conquered different continents. The clean and user-friendly characteristics attract over millions of customers everyday. Many local restaurants start to imitate Mac’s, such as its way of management as well as its convenient eating style.
It is found that the McDonald’s highest person-time of consumption is located at Hong Kong, which is my city. I think almost everyone in HK has been to McDonald’s. It becomes so popular in this busy city that people have their party there; people have their meeting there; people have their relaxing time there; as well as outliers get the food from the scraps there! This is very amazing since HK is not the only place having this phenomenon. McDonald’s influence is all over the world.
Mac’s is playing a very important role in globalization. It contributes to the globalization of our eating style, managing style and even our social lifestyle; whereas it also helps explaining glocalization. This is characterized by its invention of hybridized food. It combines the local and the American taste, and thereupon produces a new kind of glocalized food. Yet in another way the local culture is affected. Mac’s creates something new, which is not the original of the local anymore. The local culture is in some way being invaded or altered, whereas Mac’s actually develops its culture and has it improved. It becomes part of its culture while the local can hardly preserve its own.
My lecturer raised an inspiring question in the class, and this is what I used to think of as well. In terms of the media, or McDonald's, are they reflecting us or shaping us? Mac's is just one of the enormous examples. Mac's maximizes its profit by taking local culture into part of itself, because people want it. When Mac's introduces a new flavour, people accept it. I find it hard to explain. Do people want it? Or do people just buy whatever Mac's produces?
Human behaviour is hard to explain, and unpredictable. Some people are probably stronger in mind, but most people are prone to be affected. In one way Mac's can say they only reflect the choice of customers; in another way Mac's actually shapes our form of culture and lifestyle.
Since I don't like McDonald's, I could hardly say this phenomenon is good. However there are many points of views. We can explore and think more.
ps. I just told my friend that even though all this are thought-provoking, they are not very useful in reality. At least it has no obvious influence with my future. Reality is harsh.
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