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I chose this picture of an ATM drive-through as an example of McDonaldization (McDonaldization youtube video).  It's not the most extreme example, but for some reason, I could stop thinking about it.  People used to go to the bank more because they had to, and I imagine this created a certain sense of community.  Drive-throughs in general are representative of a culture that centers car-based commuting, convenience, speed, and individualism.

The four principles of McDonaldization are:
Efficiency: One needn't leave the comfort of one's car or interrupt one's commute too much

Predictability: For the most part, drive-through ATMs are available 24/7 and provide the exact same experience every time -- one needn't even interact with another human being

Calculability: Again, the experience is usually exactly the same

Control:  Everything about the experience is, at least seemingly, within one's control, with very few variables.

Interestingly, drive-through culture is also an example of institutional discrimination (race concepts slideshow, week 11), as is the way our culture is dominated by driving. This is for many reasons. Not everyone has access to cars; not everyone is able-bodied in the ways necessary to drive, and more.  Convenience is sometimes afforded only to those who fit into the dominant culture (chapter 3).

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I ran into this woman while I was out taking photos. She was talking to a friend who was sitting on a public bench, but he declined to have his photo taken.  This woman has the ascribed identity (social identity powerpoint, week 5) status of having a disability (social identity powerpoint, week 5), as well as appearing to be white, elderly, and a woman.  All of these identities intersect to afford her a certain experience of life, and one piece of that is evident in this photo. Her walker provides accessibility to the sidewalk, allowing her to be out in the community, talking to her friend (and hopefully fighting a sense of anomie [chapter 7]).  On the other hand, I can only imagine that her experience is not centered (Power, Privilege, and Difference slideshow) in most of Greenfield.  There are many parts of the road without sidewalks, and places where the sidewalks are not maintained.  There are hills and stairs in various places, as well.  I imagine she experiences many times when the dominant culture (chapter 3) has not kept her particular access needs in mind.  And, at the same time, she likely has many areas of life where she was afforded a bit more ease due to her agent identities.  It's possible that she realizes this, and also possible that she doesn't, thanks to the paradox of privilege (Power, Privilege, and Difference slideshow).

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This sidewalk was another thing I noticed on my walk as an example of subculture, disability, and institutional discrimination (Race concepts slideshow; chapter 3; social identities powerpoint).  Of course, this is an example of inclusion, or at least an attempt.  People with disabilities are often subject to institutional discrimination in the sense that their needs are inherently left out of public planning.  Something one might not know or think about, unless they are a part of a disability subculture is that these bumpy yellow parts of crosswalks are designed to tell blind people which direction to walk safely across a crosswalk. The bumps are meant to be oriented in the safest direction to cross, but are often oriented at random because either planners or roadworkers aren't aware of the proper walk to install and utilize them.  This means that, in addition to able-bodied people being centered in public planning, even when people with other needs are included, they are not always included adequately.

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At risk of coming across as snarky, I chose this sign as an example of ideal culture, in contrast to real culture (chapter 3).  Franklin County, as most of us know, is the poorest county in Massachusetts.  There are issues of drug addiction, poverty, underfunded schools, domestic violence, and more.  Many Americans like to believe in this type of simple, uplifting phrase - All You Need Is Love - and especially here in the upper Pioneer Valley, where many people are former hippies and current activists of various types.  However, I think it's clear that we need a lot more than love -- our real culture is quite far from our ideal culture, and we have deep issues of systemic injustice to address and remedy.

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I consider this poster another example of ideal culture versus real culture in one poster.  On the one hand, it's clear that the creators of the poster - probably for marketing purposes - decided to include two dark-skinned people in the image.  They also made an effort to include almost as many women as men at the bottom of the poster.  I think this is a nod to ideal culture, in which we imagine America to be progressive, inclusive, and equitable.  I think the poster betrays itself, however, by literally and largely centering three white men at the top, subtly suggesting that the characters at the bottom are supporting characters in service of the main subjects/story.

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I mostly found this little sign in a local barbershop to be amusing. When I walked in and asked whether I could take a photo, a group of men got a kick out of it and we all laughed together. I thought it was a decent, if not brilliant, example of stereotyping (Race Concepts slideshow), the stereotype being that men love sex and that this would motivate them to get their hair cut. This also felt like a particular example of dominant culture and its humor to me.  I could be reading into things too much (I do have the selective perception (Race Concepts slideshow) of a former Women's & Gender Studies major), but it strikes me as centering male heterosexuality - however gently.  And rightfully so, I suppose, if this is their main clientele. Still, I wonder how comfortable a gender or sexuality non-conforming person would feel in this particular environment.

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Here's another photo I took to represent the ways that identity is historically situated and context-dependent (Social identities powerpoint).  Honestly, I see this sign as an example of institutional discrimination.  Yes, historically we may be able to say that the town of Greenfield was incorporated by settlers in 1753.  This building and this sign exist because the dominant culture agrees that Greenfield is the rightful name of the land where this building is, and it inherently ignores some of the context in which the town was incorporated.  Indigenous people who were here then, some descendents of whom may still be here now, would now be considered a subculture or even, depending on how politically active they are, countercultural.  Indigenous people in the United States who actively fight for recognition of their nations' sovereignty are not met with much patience by the dominant culture, sometimes even being arrested or killed, as we saw during the Dakota Acess Pipeline protests.

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I wasn't completely sure how I felt about this poster I came across.  On the one hand, it's cool.  On the other hand, I thought it was an example of how men and masculinity are centered as the norm, while women are considered "other."  There's the Hulk and, I guess, the "She" Hulk.  At the same time, this is potentially an example of positive deviance (chapter 6), where a woman is portrayed as strong and competent - a super hero.  Then again, she is portrayed in a very stereotypically sexualized way.

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My friend is a magnificent painter and a non-traditionally aged college student.  I took a picture of her in her studio as an example of subculture and counterculture.  As with Albita's tailoring shop, artists and makers who work from a place of passion help create a sense of place and meaning, in my opinion, fighting anomie (chapter 7)

She also demonstrates an example of a slower, less convenient, yet I believe ultimately more fulfilling way of processing and being in the world, developing the skill of her art and sharing it with others.

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A strange, staged photo of my friend in a little alleyway we came across in Amherst.  We were struck but the sad sense of loneliness there, and I posed her to try to represent anomie.  Instead, I think this is a better example of impression management (chapter 4).  While she squats in a lot full of broken glass and empty nip bottles, we can imagine her choosing attractive, fun photos of herself to post to social media - to receive the rewards of social capital.

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Walking around Greenfield, MA looking for examples of McDonaldization and de-skilling (McDonaldization video), I couldn't resist finally stepping into this shop I walk by often. It's called Albita's, and it's a little tailor shop right on Main Street. I went inside and asked Alba and Antonio, the couple who runs it, whether I could take their photos for my project.

Antonio translated Alba's Spanish for me while we discussed the project and negotiated the photo. I was able to understand her, but not speak back.  I believe they are immigrants and not native English speakers, ascribed identity (social identities powerpoint) statuses we don't share.  They were kind and generous enough to allow me to portray their business for this project.

When I think about de-skilling, I think about how much is lost in the name of convenience, "affordability" (at what cost?), etc.  This tailoring shop is a wonderful example of the opposite that.  Within its walls, there is a sense of belonging, place, and purpose.  There is a sense that these are two unique and irreplaceable people, not just cogs in a corporate machine.  Even the act of tailoring is an embodiment of an ethos so different from McDonaldization.  To slowly make clothes so that they are custom fit to specific individuals, and to make them last, is an antidote to anomie.

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A photo I took a few weeks ago in New York City.  This little sewing supply shop stood out to me as an anomaly - a sweet holdover from another era of rent control and skilled seamstresses.  I have another, more recent, sewing-related photo in this slideshow, but I included this because of how nostalgic it makes me feel for an era without as much sense of anomie - where things maybe felt less disjointed and completely driven by disposability, transience, and profit.

I bought some zippers here, with the hope of eventually using my dusty sewing machine to make myself a few little bags. Unfortunately, this dream is relegated to the "summer goals" list, as it takes a backseat to things more pressing in our current culture.

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Another little moment from my week that spoke to me of what is stolen from us in the process of de-skilling and McDonaldization.  Our culture might tell me to just buy a new watch on Amazon, or to take it in to Walmart to get its battery replaced, but I decided I was going to try and figure it out myself, despite not having the exact right tools.

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This was a precious picture from the cafe where I work.  Bill, on the customer side of the bar, is a regular here.  He's almost 75, and has been coming to the cafe since it opened about 15 years ago.  He worked at the adjacent bookstore for years, but now comes in because he is friendly with our staff, and because it helps him fight loneliness-induced depression.  In this (not staged!) photo, two of my coworkers are reading a piece he wrote for the Montague Reporter.  It's an open thank you letter to the cafe for making him feel so welcome over all these years

I decided to use this photo as an example of the theory of the looking-glass self (chapter 4). Through the eyes of the cafe employees, who adore him, Bill is able to maintain some of his positive self-regard. Similarly, we are rewarded by his appreciation, and I would be lying if I said that I don't receive a strong sense of well-being from knowing I provide the benefit of friendship and belonging to someone I admire.

I also thought this was a good example of impression management (chapter 4), because it takes place in the service industry, where in general we are expected to be friendly and accommodating.  We let our guard down a little bit with regulars, and this is a moment of vulnerability behind the scenes with an intergenerational in-group.

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A kitschy representation of the building of my identity through the looking-glass self. I see myself through the eyes of my friend, and it informs so much of who I am and what I do.

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This is a picture of my friend shooting an airsoft gun that belongs to her son.  Her son is "preparing her for the apocalypse."  I love this photo and what it represents.  To some, a gun is a sign of deviance, but here I feel it represents positive deviance within a loving family culture.  This photo also represents intersectionality for me, as my friend is someone who identifies as working class, had her son when she was young (something that informs her identity greatly), and also possesses many wonderful qualities of a rural, working class (white) upbringing.  She also tries to leverage her privilege to work for justice both at her job as a nurse and in her everyday life.

This friend and I also mirror and inform each other's senses of self through the looking-glass self.

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This is a picture taken at Joe's pizza in Northampton.  A hockey game was on.  I wasn't sure whether to classify sports culture as dominant or subcultural, but I think there are aspects of both.  Of course, not everyone is a hockey fan.  At the same time, the sports industry is huge in our country, and a lot of people pay attention to it.  Professional sports also tend to uphold a lot of the dominant culture and privilege certain identities - both during sporting events themselves, and in all of the commercials that are played during games.  Christian and American holidays are recognized, and there is usually a strongly patriotic, pro-heterosexual family vibe to the advertising and interviews.

The interviews during sporting events are also wonderful examples of impression management, as athletes present a face of being family-oriented, generous, and upholding high moral standards. In reality, this isn't always who they really are.

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A little example of traditional authority (chapter 7) I came across during my walk and decided to share.  This sign, next to a defunct church, reads "...but the word which I have spoken shall be done."

On the one hand, Christian religions are subcultural, and on the other hand, they are part of the dominant culture in our country.  These signs are not rare, yet they harken back to a different system of authority than we currently prioritize more - though there are overlaps between religious/traditional and legal/rational authority.

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Another shot to illustrate legal-rational authority (chapter 7).  We invest police with the power to regulate our traffic habits, and they can pull us over, fine us, or even arrest us for not obeying laws.

When we participate in what our culture considers deviance, we are sometimes punished by this type of authority.

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This is a photo I took a few years ago in New York.  I included it as an example of legal-rational authority, as police represent that in our culture.  I actually asked this officer if I could take a picture of his car because I found it so funny that it was so tiny.  He laughed with me and said that I could, as long as I didn't include his face, because he was embarrassed that the car "wasn't intimidating at all." Someone with identities different than my own might disagree that he wasn't intimidating, even in that car.

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A little posed shot to indicate an example of deviance -- stealing make up from a drug store.  This activity is not widely accepted in our culture.  I wouldn't say it's so frowned upon as to be taboo, but it's definitely considered outside of the norm and not something to be proud of.

At the same time, my friend is exhibiting what I think is an example of positive deviance in this photo, too. Drug stores near us are currently not requiring masks anymore, but out of respect for employees and fellow shoppers, she has chosen to wear one.