Fast Food for the Soul
When capitalism & globalization collided, time became money & success now depends on decreasing costs, increasing productivity and maximizing profit. In this day and age, who has the time to cook?
I did a quick calculation and I realized that I can't even afford my own services as a cook, especially when I compare to cheaper alternatives available in the marketplace. Anyway, why muck around with something that is not even my niche business? Micky Dees knows what people want and has found the most profitable way to provide these products and services. Plus, Ronald McDonald was astute enough to realize and demonstrate that people will come to appreciate consistency, even if the products are mediocre. I can still remember the complete relief I felt when we found a McDonalds after a long day of "being lost in translation" in Beijing. That was one yummy Big Mac.
To keep up with the changing spiritual needs of the world’s population, most major religions are gearing to give us fast food for the soul. Just like you can get a Happy Meal anywhere, you can go into a church, a mosque, a synagogue and expect to be given sustenance, condiments in nice little packets. If you are lucky, you might even get some extra something like the newest Disney figurine tucked in with your meal.
It is amazing but religious leaders have uncanny knowledge of branding. McDonalds creates brand royalty by putting effort into packaging and advertising, so that its products are attractive & easily distinguishable. Even though there is a subtle difference in taste, Coke is the Real Thing and Pepsi is the Taste of the New Generation. Not the same thing at all . . .
Similarly, modern religions like to highlight their distinctness so that they can stand out against the competition. In the global marketplace of spirituality, every religion has to market it's selling point . . . only this product will give you a ticket into heaven. . . this patented formula will work wonders and grant you forgiveness for your sins. . .
It is difficult to imagine but it was not always like this. Most religions started out with ordinary people looking to connect with the divine. Before religions became standardized, religious groups were more like bands of people trying to follow a good example. Before the concept of copyright infringement, you could conceivably take someone else’s good idea and try it out for yourself. It is only in this context, this article describing the early interaction between Islam & Christianity (which seems so vastly different now) makes sense.
Are there times when you walk into a chain restaurant and want to ask for something you can't find on the menu? Can I get some hot sauce with my Happy Meal? And some religious tolerance on the side?
I did a quick calculation and I realized that I can't even afford my own services as a cook, especially when I compare to cheaper alternatives available in the marketplace. Anyway, why muck around with something that is not even my niche business? Micky Dees knows what people want and has found the most profitable way to provide these products and services. Plus, Ronald McDonald was astute enough to realize and demonstrate that people will come to appreciate consistency, even if the products are mediocre. I can still remember the complete relief I felt when we found a McDonalds after a long day of "being lost in translation" in Beijing. That was one yummy Big Mac.
To keep up with the changing spiritual needs of the world’s population, most major religions are gearing to give us fast food for the soul. Just like you can get a Happy Meal anywhere, you can go into a church, a mosque, a synagogue and expect to be given sustenance, condiments in nice little packets. If you are lucky, you might even get some extra something like the newest Disney figurine tucked in with your meal.
It is amazing but religious leaders have uncanny knowledge of branding. McDonalds creates brand royalty by putting effort into packaging and advertising, so that its products are attractive & easily distinguishable. Even though there is a subtle difference in taste, Coke is the Real Thing and Pepsi is the Taste of the New Generation. Not the same thing at all . . .
Similarly, modern religions like to highlight their distinctness so that they can stand out against the competition. In the global marketplace of spirituality, every religion has to market it's selling point . . . only this product will give you a ticket into heaven. . . this patented formula will work wonders and grant you forgiveness for your sins. . .
It is difficult to imagine but it was not always like this. Most religions started out with ordinary people looking to connect with the divine. Before religions became standardized, religious groups were more like bands of people trying to follow a good example. Before the concept of copyright infringement, you could conceivably take someone else’s good idea and try it out for yourself. It is only in this context, this article describing the early interaction between Islam & Christianity (which seems so vastly different now) makes sense.
Are there times when you walk into a chain restaurant and want to ask for something you can't find on the menu? Can I get some hot sauce with my Happy Meal? And some religious tolerance on the side?
posted by Bdeshini at 12:10 PM
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