As George Ritzer explains in The Mcdonaldization of Society there are reactionary irrationalities that come out of the hyper-rationality of modern bureaucratic structures. As spaces, human actions and formal bureaucracies are rationalized and made to run efficiently they become less efficient and irrational.
These patterns are heavily connected to the Weberian concept of the 'iron cage of rationality' where bureaucracy traps and dehumanizes people making them 'cogs in the wheel' of society. He worried and foresaw the expansion of bureaucratic structures to all facets of life. Such patterns have taken place in fast food restaurants, grocery chains, and car repair shop alike. Looking at irrationalities is important because they are related to the idea that standard of living goes beyond consumption and everyday routine. In exploring this theme we hope to shed light onto the value of unpredictability. Further quality of both experience and goods are influenced by irrationalities. Fast-food chains provide a standardized product. One might know what they are going to receive but it is often of low quality in terms of health and taste then similarly priced goods cooked in one's home or ordered at a "slow" restaurant.
To make apple consumption easier stores prepackage slices of apples treating them with citric acid to prevent browning and sticking each slice within an individual bag. To eat the fruit consumers now must discard and get through the packaging and eat the apple. A large amount of energy has gone into this product in the form of packaging, labor and materials and more effort goes into accessing the product by the consumer. Fast food is also plagued by internal contradictions. It is supposed to be faster then cooking or conventional restaurants yet long lines in the drive-through of a fast-food restaurant may lead to a wait of over half and hour.
Control
Efficiency
Quantifiability
