McDonaldization of Dating - Globalization Assignment 180119

Market and Management Anthropology University of Southern Denmark
Globalization assignment Christoffer Lennings, 11/11-97

18/01-19
Globalization assignment – Health and Medicine 2019
How the McDonaldization of online dating has affected the sexual behavior of
the millennial era.
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Table of context
Introduction....................................................................................................................................................3
Literature Review...........................................................................................................................................4
From the rationalization theory to the McDonaldization..............................................................................5
Globalization and McDonaldization.............................................................................................................7
Analysis...........................................................................................................................................................7
Efficiency.....................................................................................................................................................7
Calculability.................................................................................................................................................8
Predictability................................................................................................................................................9
Control........................................................................................................................................................11
Discussion......................................................................................................................................................12
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................................14
Reference.......................................................................................................................................................15
Books & articles.........................................................................................................................................15
Websites.....................................................................................................................................................16
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Introduction
In the 21st century, the digitalization has rapidly affected much of our modern globalized society,
though remarkably, the digital flows were practically speaking absently at the beginning of the 21st
century. The globalization is rapidly entering a new era, regarding digital flows and technologies.
Within the emergence of globalization, the world, e.g., experienced the digitalization of dating, with
applications and websites such as Tinder, Match.com, and eHarmony, which overtook the former
state of dating. In a highly sexualized culture with all these technological advantages that should
create efficiency in our dating lives and developing “hook-up” culture where casual sex has never
been more accessible, despite this, statistic shows just the opposite results. A recent report,
examines the decline in sexual frequency among teenagers and young adults, compared to previous
generations (Twenge, J., Sherman, R. & Wells, B., 2016). Statistics reveal that the 1930s (the Silent
generation) had sex about six times more a year on average in their generation than those born in
the 1990s (Millennials and iGen) (2016). This tendency reveals the concerning health issues for the
millennial generation in a decline of sexual frequency which author Kate Julian describes as “The
Sex Recession” (Julian. K., 2018). While a healthy sex life does not necessarily result in a good life,
research confirms that it indeed has its health benefits (2018).
With this statement in mind, I will in this academic paper, attempt to investigate the surrounding
issues of a “sex recession” for the millennial generation. In this case, I will focus on the perspective
of how the digitalization of dating has affected sexual behavior. This paper includes a wide range of
different theories, which is used to clarify and investigate the research about a decline in sexual
activity among the younger generations. Therefore, it is necessary to review the different theories
and address the various aspects of the theory compared to the case of online dating. Also, the paper
will demonstrate the connection between the term McDonaldization and the globalization to
exemplify the McDonaldized effects of online dating, but also display the cornerstones of Ritzer’s
concept on McDonaldization in Max Weber’s rationalization theory. Following the theoretical
framework, I move on to analyze, how online dating is classified into the model of the
McDonaldization (Ritzer, 2004), to illustrate how the four McDonaldized concepts of efficiency,
calculability, predictability, and control fits into the current state of online dating. Afterward, the
discussion will bring us closer to answer the research question about, how the McDonaldization of
online dating has affected the sexual behavior of the millennial era. Lastly, findings of the analysis
and discussion will be briefly summarized in the conclusion at the end of the paper.
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Literature Review
One of the significant contributions to the globalization theory is introduced by George Ritzer
(2004). The sociologist introduced the concept of McDonaldization, which describes how the
principles of a fast-food restaurant are starting to dominate our globalized society. Ritzer’s idea of
McDonaldization was based around the five elements of efficiency, calculability, predictability,
control, and irrationality of rationality. As will be discovered in the following sections of this paper,
the connection between the McDonaldization and online dating is visible.
Efficiency describes the minimization of time or the optimal method for accomplishing a task
(Ritzer, 2004). Regarding the case study of online dating, this method of efficiency simplifies and
speeds up the usually time-consuming process of meeting a variety of people. Calculability de-fines
the McDonaldized goal for developing the notion that quantity equals quality (2004). This explains
how the individuals of online dating are jeopardizing the essential qualities of the relationship.
Predictability exemplifies the assurance that products and services will be the same across time and
place (2004). About online dating, profiles become more alike, therefore creating a standardization
of the dating profiles. Control examines the control of human behavior by utilizing non-human
technology (Ritzer, 2004). As an example of online dating, computer software essentially decides
the matchmaking of people. Lastly, the irrationality of rationality is simplified to all the negative
aspect of the McDonaldization (2004). This examines the negative impact of online dating
compared to offline dating.
Giddens concept of time-space distanciation specifies the disembedding of social relations caused
by a technological change (1990). This describes how technology has to opportunity to stretch
relationships across vast distances, by keeping contact through the digitalization (1990).
Theorist Ryan, J. defines the concept of grobalization as a combination of globalization and growth.
However, this theory also demonstrates the economic relationship between a global and local level
(2007). The grobalization thesis defines how an organization, like McDonald’s, has its main interest
to increase their power, influence, and profit (2007).

From the rationalization theory to the McDonaldization

McDonald’s is the world’s largest restaurant chain, with an approximal of 36.000 restaurants that
daily serves more than 69 million consumers spread around in over 100 countries (Rosenberg, M.,
2018). Although McDonald’s is primally known for its fast-food menu that consists of hamburgers
and French fries, McDonald’s is also the foundation in one of the most influential efficiency
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developments in the contemporary society. In a modern culture that highly values the process of
efficiency, George Ritzer defines the concept of a McDonaldization of our society outside of the
fast-food industry. Ritzer describes this phenomenon 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
of the rest of the world” (2004). However, the theory of McDonaldization did not suddenly appear
out of the blue; it was a result of some major social and economic developments in contemporary
society. Also, Ritzer was highly influenced by the sociologist Max Weber, who introduced the
theory of rationalization in the 19th-century. For Weber, the rationalization theory reflects his ideas
of an embedded bureaucracy, and Weber describes how the western society has become highly
efficient by the rationalization progress and technological advances. Weber’s study on
rationalization created a foundation in four principles of efficiency, predictability, quantification,
and control, all of which became the foundations of the McDonaldization (Ritzer, 2013). The
rationalization theory was created by a reduction of tradition in humanized behavior, and instead,
the human behavior was directed by the practicality and reasonability. (Ritzer, 2004) The
rationalization was one of the leading factors in creating the modern society and played a major role
in the growth of capitalism. As previously mentioned, rationalization also developed the importance
of bureaucracy and created the presentence of bureaucracy in our modern society. Weber’s work on
rationality resulted in four different types of rationality, including practical, theoretical, formal and
substantive rationality (Kalberg, 1980). In short, practical rationality is defined as “people’s
mundane and day-to-day activities and reflects their worldly interests” (Ritzer, 2013). Theoretical
rationality is explained as “a conscious mastery of reality through the construction of increasingly
precise abstract concepts rather than through action” (2013). Whereas substantive rationality is
described by “involves value postulates, or clusters of values, that guide people in their daily lives,
especially in their choice of means to ends.” (Ritzer, 2013). Lastly, formal rationality “involves the
rational calculation of means to ends based on universally applied rules, regulations, and laws.”
(2013: p. 42). In relation, Weber compares these different concepts of rationality to the social action
and the types of rationality. Also, the manner in which the different kinds of rationality introduce
regularities and patterns of work as well in the ways of life (Kalberg, 1980).
In modern society, the rise of formal rationality still exits. Formal rationality was an essential
development for the modern western society, in the sense of rules and regulations to increase the
power of the bureaucracy. Although the expansion of formal rationality led to an economically,
Weber feared that formal rationality came to dominate the other types of rationality. He predicts
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that formal rationality was going to supplement or even overwhelm the different rationalities within
the western world, “embodied Western civilization’s highest ideals: the autonomous and free
individual whose actions were given continuity by their reference to ultimate values” (Kalberg,
1980; p. 1176). As a result, people’s actions were not guided by the high ideals, but in the modern
society, people would follow the rules and commands in disregard to their human values (Ritzer,
2013). Also, one of Weber’s concerns with the modern society is what he calls “the iron cage of
rationality.” Weber identifies the bureaucracy as a rationalized cage that continuously absorbs
people under it. He described the “iron cage” as inevitable to escape once the individual is trapped,
in the sense of that the bureaucracy as an institution is impossible to destroy once it is created
(Ritzer, 2013). He dreaded the thoughts of a society conquered by the rationalized concepts of a
dehumanization, so our society “would be nothing more than a seamless web of rationalized
structures” (Ritzer, 2013).
Weber’s pessimistic view in the future of the society does not look very bright with the overtake of
the bureaucratization and the formal rationality, and as previously mentioned, the fast-food chain
McDonald’s has implemented these rationalization principles, to create the efficiency and success
that has developed throughout the years of McDonald’s. Hence, in the foundation for Weber’s basic
ideas for the rationalization theory, Ritzer compiled the continuous process of this and labeled it as
the “McDonaldization” of the society (Ritzer, 2013). Ritzer uses the theory of the McDonaldization
as an extension of Weber’s rationalization thesis in a modern structure, with the basis in the four
concepts of efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. In the following sections, there will
be an illustration of how the globalization is connected to the McDonaldization. In addition, the
four concepts of the McDonaldization will demonstrate the relevance of Ritzer’s current theory of
the McDonaldization, regarding the topic of how the McDonaldization has affected the structure of
online dating.
Globalization and McDonaldization

The definition of the globalization is clarified by Ritzer as “Globalization is a transplanetary process
or set of processes involving increasing liquidity and the growing multidirectional flows of people,
objects, places and information as well as the structures they encounter and create that are barriers
to, or expedite, those flows” (Ritzer, 2015; p. 2). McDonaldization is a by-product of the
“Americanization” and the rationalization theory, in which both are largely part of the globalization.
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The term itself, McDonaldization, describes the principles of the fast-food restaurant, McDonald’s,
whose ideas and structures are becoming centralized in the American society, but also describes the
global flows of movement into in the rest of the world (Ritzer, 2004). Therefore, the relation
between the globalization and McDonaldization is obvious, because the term, describes a process of
global flows that spread worldwide. The McDonaldization is also an example of liquidity, about the
process of flows between the various institutions and societies, because the McDonaldization is not
specifically locked in borders of America (2004). The McDonaldization shows its multidirectional
flows by the adaptation of other countries and institutions being McDonaldized, and the exportation
of the structure in the McDonaldization flowing into other parts of the world, such as IKEA from
Sweden, Nestlé from Switzerland and Shell from England. In addition, regarding global flows of
people regarding the McDonaldization, the McDonaldized system travel their employees and
customers globally to support the companies and industries, but also the flows of objects in the
highly McDonaldized distributing systems of UBS or FedEx. However, the main global flow in the
McDonaldized systems lies within the information flow. The digitalization has created an
environment of limitless connection with the world, and the ability to generate a connection
between the affiliated parts of the company in forms of text, emails or tweets (Ritzer, 2004). Today,
the continuous development of the McDonaldization and globalization has resulted in similar
theories conducting the principles of the McDonaldization, such as, “Starbuckization,”
“Disneyization” and “Wal-Martization” (Ritzer 2015).
Analysis
Efficiency
The first element of the McDonaldization is efficiency. In this context, Ritzer applies the example
of McDonald’s consumers, where the efficiency lies within the fastest way for the customers of
being hungry to being full. Efficiency in the theory of McDonaldization defines the minimization of
time or the optimal method for accomplishing a task (Ritzer, 2004). Every worker has a specific
role to fill, and the division of labor adds to operational productivity.
Similarly, to the same focus on efficiency in other labor markets. Generally, efficiency has linked
the ability to pursue the desired goal in a limited amount of time. For corporations, efficiency is a
highly valued feature to accomplish goals quickly with less effort. However, in the case of the
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McDonaldization, the aspect of dehumanization for the consumers and employees starts to rise, as a
result of a surge to increase efficiency. As in the case of McDonald’s, the employees work at a
stationary position to create the food, and with the help of technology to speed up the progress of an
example of grilling many burgers at once. In this example, the technological advantages limit the
human errors to create a higher efficiency for the result. For the consumers, the interaction between
the individuals is limited, because the digitalization has created opportunities of ordering through
machines instead of humans. In addition, the system of a drive-through in McDonald’s elaborates
the goals of creating an efficient method with limited human interaction (Ritzer, 2004).
In relation to online dating, casual dating has become highly inefficient in our modern society, as a
process on the arrival of the Internet that has created several online dating websites and
applications, which has streamlined the current state of dating. With the addition of online dating
websites, individuals can specify their wanted characteristics and the ability to limit their potential
match to a particular age group or a given distance between each household. With online websites
such as Match.com or the mobile application of Tinder, individuals have the opportunity to scroll
through tons of potential partners in a minimal time-consuming process, and thereby creating a
highly efficient online environment for dating. Also, these online dating websites create an extreme
level of dehumanization, because of the limited human interaction between individuals through
online dating. In short, online dating simplifies and speeds up the frequently time-consuming
process of meeting a variety of new people.
Calculability
The second term in the McDonaldization model is calculability. Ritzer applies calculability to the
numerical standards given in the process and the result in a McDonaldized structure. The progress is
determined by the speed of the production, whereas the consequence emphasizes the number of
products served or its size. Therefore, the calculability is the number of produced produces in a
rapid time phrase. In the aspect of calculability, the goal of the McDonaldization is to focus on the
quantifiable instead of the subjectivity of quality.
And consequently, the McDonaldization of quantity tends to be a replacement of quality. The
McDonaldized society requires their employees to accomplish their work within the shortest time
used. In addition, it empathizes on the speed of accomplishment by both the employees and the
customers. The customers should spend a limited amount of time in the restaurant. Meanwhile, the
workers should complete their task as fast as possible regardless of the quality in the outcome. In
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addition, calculability relates to the other concepts of McDonaldization. As an example of this,

calculability can determine the progress of efficiency. As described previously, the method that
takes the least amount of time is usually considered the most efficient method. Also, once the
products are quantified, the progress becomes more predictable because the result of using the same
amount of materials or time is used from one place to another (Ritzer 2004).
Regarding the platform of online dating, the calculability is notable in the idea of how accessible it
is to join one of the websites as tinder defines its motto as “Match. Chat. Date” (Tinder.com), this
also describes the efficiency of quickly going from a match to date, this method is used to attract
multiple customers by explaining how easy it is to create an online relationship. However, by
effortlessly forming an online relationship, the individual is jeopardizing the essential qualities of
the relationship. Finding a relationship should not be defined by the quantity in the number of
matches. Instead, it should be formed by the conditions of finding the perfect fit. According to
research discovered at Michigan State University, relationships that start online are 28% more likely
to break down in their first year, compared to relationships, where the couple first met face-to-face
(Paul, A., 2014). Also, couples who met online are nearly three times as likely to get divorced as
couples that met face-to-face (2014). As a result, online dating websites prioritize the quantified
number of meeting as many people as possible, instead of empathizing in the qualities of finding a
perfect match.
Predictability
The third dimension of the McDonaldized society is predictability. According to Ritzer,
predictability is “the assurance that products and services will be the same over time and in all
locales” (2004: p. 15). Ritzer specifies this, as the customers in such societies prefer to predict the
expectations compared to be surprised by the uncertainty (2004). Therefore, the McDonaldized
society requires the rationality and standardization of products to achieve this predictability. In
addition, the employees in the McDonaldized system behave highly predictable, to follow the given
rules and guidance. Their assigned tasks are profoundly affected by routine and repetition to create
a predictable environment.
This predictability is highly involved in the McDonaldized environment of online dating as well.
The dating profiles can be customizable, but only to a certain extent. It is only possible to view the
persons’ superficial features such as hobbies, job carrier or location, with a combination of few
selected pictures. However, during the search for a potential relationship through the online dating
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barriers, it becomes a robotic search looking at photo after photo with limited human interaction.
Essentially, profiles seem to become more like each other, and therefore creating a standardization
of the dating profiles. In fact, human behavior is very predictable in these dating websites. Besides
of the ordinary conversation structure between two individuals through online dating apps, a recent
report conducted by The Pew Research Center suggests that one-third of all the people who have
used online dating have never gone on a date with someone (Smith. A. & Anderson. M., 2016).
This example defines, how people use applications like Tinder to swipe through hundreds of
profiles, not to find a potential relationship, but uses the application to gain self-approval and self-
esteem by not interacting with the matches, but just playing “the game.”
In addition, professor Heino R. discovered a tendency of what he describes as
“relationshipshopping”, where he argues that objectification of potential may encourage a
“shopping” mentality in which individuals become more judgemental and pickier, when primally
focusing on narrow set of criteria’s like attractiveness, and as he perfectly describes: “You know,
I’ll take her, her, her’- like out of a catalog” (Heino R., 2010; p. 437). Heino’s theory about
“relationshipshopping,” illustrates how individuals are creating a predictable manner through online
communication, which shows a common theme of shopping for superficial features.
A central idea in the predictability of the McDonaldization is the understanding of the term
grobalization. Ryan defines the concept as a combination of growth and globalization, but also as:
“the imperialistic ambitions of nation-states, corporations, organizations, and the like and their
desire, indeed need, to impose themselves on various geographic areas throughout the world (Ryan
2007: 2022–3). In the case of a McDonaldization, grobalization defines how an organization, like
McDonald’s, has its main interest to their power, influence, and profit grows (Ritzer 2004).
Grobalization creates a worldview that suggests there are differences within and between areas,
however, the world is growing increasingly similar (2004). This example highlights explicitly the
fears of an increasingly homogenized society linked with the force of grobalization and
McDonaldization. Cultural convergence almost seems inevitable in the modern globalized world.
However, the grobalization emphasize how the global level is generally determining what transpires
at the local level (2004). Therefore, a McDonaldized system tries to limit the local level to increase
global homogeneity, McDonald’s exemplifies this by eliminating local restaurants because of their
global dominance with over 36.000 restaurants globally. The homogeneity of online dating relies on
how the digitalization tries to overtake a real-life experience by supplementation through a
digitalized world. The following section demonstrates the current power of technology but also
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predicts the digitalized influence in the future, which describes how technology (global) tries to
restrict the real-life experience (local).
Control
The fourth element of the McDonaldization is increased control of human behavior through the
utilization of non-human technology (Ritzer, 2004). Ritzer argues that technology includes not only
machines and tools but also materials, skills, knowledge, rules, regulations, procedures, and
techniques (2004). Therefore, technology consists of not only the obvious non-human computers or
robots, but also bureaucratic rules, and manuals are prescribing standard procedures. Ritzer
examines this, by describing that human technology is everything controlled by humans, a
screwdriver for example, and a non-human technology is essentially everything that controls
people, given the case of the ordering window at the drive-through (2004). In fact, Ritzer explains
why a control by non-human technology is needed in a McDonaldized system: “The great source of
uncertainty, unpredictability, and inefficiency in any rationalizing system is people—either those
who work within it or those served by it” (2004: p. 89). Therefore, control of people limits the
factors of unpredictability and uncertainty to increase the efficiency of a McDonaldized society.
In relation to online dating, the control of non-human technology highly affects the settings of
online dating. Naturally, the various online dating websites and applications are created by a non-
human technology, with a system controlled by computer software, and thereby are used to control
humans. However, a research article by the Association for Psychological Science, shows how the
technology through the dating site eHarmony has evolved: “The matchmaking software (of
eHarmony) gathers 600 data points for each user, including how often they log in, who they search
for, and what characteristics are shared by the people they actually contact… eHarmony collects
this behavioral data and uses it to predict how users will respond to proposed matches” (2012: p.
21). Therefore, these sophisticated algorithms sort the recommendations based on self-selections.
For instance, if a particular user frequently clicks on blondes, despite claiming to prefer brunettes,
then the algorithm changes to show more blondes (APS, 2012).
In addition, today statistic suggests that 20% of all relationships start online. Furthermore, this
tendency is only set to increase, an in-depth report by eHarmony estimates that by 2040, 70% of all
relationships start through online communication (Romain B., 2015). Also, today's’ online dating
service has to limit human interaction by chatting and interacting through a screen. However, the
same report predicts that by 2040 a full-sensory virtual reality date is possible, meaning a virtual
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reality will be able to transfer digital simulations to smell, taste and even touch (2015).
Consequently, this illustrates the power of technology, where the computer software decides which
people you match with. Thereby, creating a controlled environment by non-human technology to
limit unpredictable behavior by humans. Also, this role is only set to increase in the future where
computers potentially control 70% of all relationships.
Furthermore, in this case, the concept of time-space distanciation by Giddens is visible in the
necessity of a controlment of technology (Giddens, 1990). Giddens defines the concept of time-
space distanciation as: “the stretching of social relations across space and time, which is brought
about by technological change” (1990). The digitalized dating experience limits the social relations
between humans from a real-life experience to a replacement of a technological virtual reality,
which tries to create a homogenization of our modern society.
Discussion
The research question addressed in this academic paper reveals, how the McDonaldization of online
dating has affected the sexual behavior of the millennial era. As previously stated in this paper,
despite the technological advantages, which should make the dating progress more accessible,
statistics had shown a decline in sexual frequency. Although the analysis of a McDonaldization of
dating supports an expected increase in the efficiency progress of dating, the data disagrees with the
presented theory. Therefore, in the following section, different approached will be discussed to
determine, why this tendency of a declining sexual frequency is happening.
Firstly, the many errors discovered through the online dating system. One of them is
Heino’s principle of “relationshipshopping,” which defines how individuals have too many options
to choose from, that therefore leads to a lack of exclusivity, which results in individuals being
pickier and more judgemental (2010). The paper also reveals that online relationships are less
qualified compared to offline relationships, supported by the research of a Ph.D. Student at
Michigan State University: “relationships that start online are 28% more likely to break down in
their first year…In addition, couples who met online are nearly three times as likely to get divorced
as couples that met face-to-face” (Paul A., 2014). Also, the online dating community has
established a casual “hook-up” culture, where the individuals are less likely to commit to a
relationship fully. This is a phenomenon defined in the report by Paul A. as: “only 49% of online
daters reported looking for marital relationships, while a majority looked for casual dating and
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companionship” (2014). These examples prove how a McDonaldized method can become
inefficient, and how this model limits and creates disadvantages. This idea illustrates Ritzer’s fifth
concept of the McDonaldization, which is the irrationality of rationality. Ritzer realized that rational
systems inevitably spawn irrationalities that can limit, compromise, and perhaps even undermine
their rationality (2004). Therefore, the irrationality of rationality is simplified to all the negative
aspect of the McDonaldization (2004). Ritzer specifies this, by reviewing the opposite effects of the
McDonaldization: “Most generally, McDonaldization can be viewed as leading to inefficiency,
unpredictability, incalculability, and loss of control” (2004: p.132). In addition, Ritzer defines the
issues with the McDonaldization theory, as one of the leading factors for homogenization, and how
the rationalized systems created by the McDonaldization emphasize dehumanization showed
through the efficiency and loss of control (2014). Therefore, Ritzer demonstrates the pitfalls of the
McDonaldization, in a self-critique that defines the weaknesses of this theory.
However, the digitalization of dating is not the only form of technology drawback in the case of a
decline in sexual frequency. Along with the digitalization of dating, the digitalization of
pornography also seems to have an impact in this decline. With the growth of online pornography,
researchers have focused on the psychiatric disorder of “internet sex addiction” (Copland, S., 2017).
With this addition, it is argued that online pornography acts as a replacement of real-life sex,
thereby limiting the sexual desire by the individuals (2017). In addition, pornography is also linked
with the unrealistic imagery creating dysfunctional expectations of offline sex versus online
pornography, which results in difficulties of getting aroused by the real thing (2017).
Another perspective on the decline of sexual frequency can be connected to the globalization of our
modern society. Today’s researchers argue this drop could be a result of increase unhappiness.
Throughout the past decade, western society has been heavily impacted by a mental health
epidemic, which contains depression, anxiety and high level of stress (Copland, S., 2017). A report
conducted by Thomas Sullivan defines a strong correlation between depression leading to sexual
dysfunctionality, and therefore reducing the individual’s sexual desire (Sullivan. T., 2012). In
addition, recent research suggests that: “mental health epidemics is connected with the increasingly
insecure nature of modern life, particularly for younger generations (millennials)” (Copland, S.,
2017). This reflexion that connects mental health with the development of our modern society is a
mixture of uncertainty, mental health issues, and technology, which therefore creates those
noticeable drops in sexual activity.
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Lastly, it should be mentioned that the majority of the data gathered has some specific limitations,
which could affect the overall result of a sexual frequency decline. In relation to this, most of the
participants from the different data set had to evaluate what “had sex” really means. The definition
of sex is usually equivocal, which directs uncertainty given in the response. Some individuals might
have interpretive sex in a broader spectrum, in which counting oral sex as regular sex. This
confusion could lead to misleading data, which can interfere with the empirical data outcome,
caused by a potential misconception in the definition of sex.
Taking the arguments mentioned above and statistics into account, the “sex recession” is caused by
multi-dimensional issues. One of the significant factors is the globalization of the digitalization,
which includes the digitalization of dating and the digitalization of pornography. Furthermore, this
inefficiency of online dating has partly resulted in the fifth concept of the McDonaldization, the
irrationality of rationality. Moreover, research suggests the development of modern society has
resulted in a mental health epidemic, which consequently decreases the sexual desire. However, the
digitalization of dating has also proven its benefits of a high-technological solution for creating
efficient relationships with people you otherwise would not have met. Moreover, as a result, 20% of
today’s relationships start online.
Conclusion
The paper aimed at answering how the McDonaldization of dating has affected sexual frequency for
the millennials. Its focus surrounds how the globalization and digitalization have contributed to
creating the structure of online dating. The analysis portrays online dating as a case study of the
McDonaldization to develop a better understanding of its efficiency, calculability, predictability and
control of our modern globalized society.
Analyzing the four concepts of the McDonaldization in a perspective of online dating illustrates the
advantages and disadvantages of online dating compared to offline dating. Furthermore, the paper
demonstrates the power and control of the digitalization in online dating, which is only set to rise in
the future, and increased power of the non-human technology tries to centralize a homogeneous
society.
In the discussion section, there were difficulties into concluding in any specific answer on what has
really created this sexual recession, as the discussion describes, it is a multi-dimensional issue
which could be a result of the digitalization of dating and pornography, a developing mental health
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epidemic or a cultural change of dating and many other factors. However, it is necessary to follow
the development of sexual frequency as the world becomes more digitalized, in which this paper
predicts an increasing growth of the online relationship. In that case, if online dating is a result in
the concept of the irrationality of rationality, it is necessary to consider the potential health issues if
the digitalization develops the current sex recession. If a sexual recession is created by only 20% of
a relationship starting online, it would almost be unimaginable if 70% of all relationships start
online by 2040. Therefore, additional research is needed to uncover the truth about the decreasing
sexual frequency happening in our current society.
Reference
Books & articles
- Giddens, A. (1990). The Consequences of Modernity (Oxford, Polity Press)
- Heino, R., Ellison, N., & Gibbs, J. (2010). Relationshopping: Investigating the market
metaphor in online dating. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 27, 427–447.
- Julian, K. (2018). The sex recession is here, The Atlantic.
- Kalberg, S. (1980). Max Webers Types of Rationality: Cornerstones for the Analysis of
Rationalization Processes in History. American Journal of Sociology, 85(5), 1145-1179
- Paul, A. (2014). Is Online Better Than Offline for Meeting Partners? Depends: Are You
Looking to Marry or to Date? Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 17(10),
664-667
- Ritzer, G. (2004). The McDonaldization of Society (revised New Century ed.). Thousand
Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.
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