Lourve is the largest national museum of France, housed in the Lourve Palace in Paris. It is a historical monument and also the most visited museum in the world. Lourve has been recognized by many to be a place of prestige and high art, hence resulted in a controversy when McDonalds proposed to open an outlet in the food court of the palace, which serves high cuisine. Critiques argue that the high culture of the museum would be diluted, and was afraid that it might become too commercialized.
It is evident in this situation, that the globalization of the mass media enabled McDonalds, a popular fast food chain to quickly multiply in countries and spread across geographical borders. The intensive communication network made it possible for gobalization of McDonalds to take place. McDonalds has even found their way to backward countries, and is seen at every corner of the street. Now, McDonalds is attempting to infiltrate into the walls of high art by attempting to open one of its many outlets in the Lourve itself. The question is, is McDonalds compromising on the attempt to preserve high culture by opening an outlet in a museum of high art and culture?
While it is true that opening a McDonalds outlet in Lourve Palace may enhance the options of visitors when it comes to food choice at the museum, I feel that it would largely contaminate the high art culture of the museum. Firstly, being placed alongside the high cuisine restaurants in the museum gives people a more commercialized option of food choice. Being more familar with McDonalds as opposed to high cuisine, visitors might choose McDonalds over the high cuisine restaurants, resulting in a great loss of business at these restaurants. Furthermore, it would defeat the purpose of trying to preserve a place that retains all purposes of high art and culture as the world gets more commercialized.
Some people however, may feel that a mere McDonalds outlet would not disrupt the culture of the fine museum but in turn enhance it and make it more modern. McDonalds IS culture, as mentioned in the video. Youths may find the museum less boring with something they are more familiar with and are able to gravitate to. After all, almost everywhere is McDonalized anyway.
This is the pinnacle of exhausting consumerism, deficient gastronomy and very unpleasant odors (literally) in the context of a museum.So why try to influence the only entity that has not been touched by consumerim? McDonalds IS culture, but McDonalds is NOT high culture.
Mona Lisa, or Mona Lisa with a slide of grease, you decide!
Haha! Good one, I would definitely choose the Mona Lisa without the grease. I would rather walk through the holy grail of all arts museum, free of all the deep fried smells that usually comes with the fast food joint.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, it is another option of food for people who have spent a fortune traveling to France wanting to visit the museum and are tightening their belts in regards to food.
Well, if they enclose the McDonalds and make sure no funny smells escape and tries to ruin the artworks, then I won't have any problems with that and in the end, it really is down to the compromise is good enough for both parties.
well it may be true that mcdonalds offer the visitors to the lourve palace an alternative dining area. But i definitely would not want to have a fast food restaurant in a "high-class" area.
ReplyDeletethis situation is somewhat similar to the opening of a starbucks outlet at the the forbidden city in China. both are similar in a way that it dilutes the original culture of the place. Perhaps both countries should stick to serving their local cuisine instead of having something that makes the entire place look less classy or dilute its culture.
Hey Amadea!
ReplyDeleteI dont think that MacDonalds has much to worry about when deciding whether to open in Lourve.
I feel that it is the the museum's decision to decide whether or not to include restaurants that could possibly affect the high context culture there! If they feel that it would, they can simply disallow MacDonalds to open an outlet there!
I feel that MacDonalds definitely stand to gain from opening an outlet there as it will reach out to a greater number of people, which means more profit! Also, like you mentioned, being a popular food chain, there will always be people who would patronize MacDonalds!
Alternatively, Lourve and MacDonalds could come together to decide on a "higher-class" MacDonalds perhaps, to suit the high contect culture of Lourve. Coming together to discuss on what is going to happen and what needs to be done will benefit both sides. It is all about effective communication man!(:
I think that McDonaldization is happening everywhere nowadays, so it is no surprise that museums are changing with the times as well. Like everything, there are two views to this as we can clearly see in the video.
ReplyDeleteOn one hand, some may argue that having the golden arches in a high culture museum would affect the "high-class" nature of the museum. This is because fast food is seen as lower end and thus, "low-class". The greasy smell, disposable packaging and packet sauces just doesn't exactly scream ART to some.
On the other hand, others may argue that having this franchise would "lure" more young people into the museum and thus increase awareness and interest in high culture art. Also, like Colbert said, "McDonald's IS our culture!"
I think a way to compromise is to make sure the quality of the McDonalds in the Louvre is of high standards in terms of the food served and cleanliness. Also, the decor of the fast food restaurant could be more elegant and thus, blend in with the high culture museum.
Hi Amadea,
ReplyDeleteI don't know who high McDonalds can get but I honestly feel that having McD's in a place like the Lourve is culturally wrong.
It is the same as why Starbucks should not be in the forbidden city. This is cultural pollution!
The Lourve is home to some of the greatest works of art in the world. I believe that the video mentioned that only shops of a certain status are allows to rent spaces there. I think this filter should be applied to the eateries too as the Lourve has a name to uphold.
P.s I love McD's, nothing against McD's.
Hi Dea,
ReplyDeleteI really think that the management at the Lourve should not have allowed Macdonalds to be set up in the compound unless Macdonalds has made a special menu to suit the exhibits at the Lourve. To me, the Lourve is a place where the pinnacle of art is displayed and having a Macdonalds in the compound would cause the Lourve to lose its exclusivity.
Yes Macdonalds will be to feed the hundreds of visitors to the Lourve everyday but that is only beneficial to Macdonalds and does nothing but cheapens the image of the Lourve.
There is a video on iTunes podcasts about an artist who painted the Mona Lisa using burger grease, maybe Macdonald's got the idea of setting up an outlet at the Lourve from it. Maybe the Lourve should consider pricing that painting.
I love Macdonald's but it I do not wish to enter the Lourve smelling of burgers.
How horrible. Nothing worse than Macdonald's. I personally hate it. I don't even know what's so great about it. Lacklustre meats, soft drinks and fried foods that take no effort to make.
ReplyDeleteMy girlfriend in the past once told me that when she visit Egypt, they had this mega huge Macdonald's overlooking the pyramids and the Sphinx. It was truly out of place there, but it drives home the fact that globalisation, or rather, Americanisation is taking place all over the world.
Good or bad? I guess there are pros and cons to globalisation. But Macdonald's, I think I'll pass!
(I never understand how tourists would visit a country and have Macdonald's for a meal. JUST ABSURD.)
Hey Alex,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on preserving the high art and culture of the famous museum and not letting it be contaminated by the air of commercialism. After all, there are many places to open a McDonalds outlet, why choose Lourve?
While people can opt for a relatively affordable fast-food joint, like McDonalds to dine at, businesses of other higher class restaurants would be at stake because most people would gravitate to McDonalds judging from how wide spread it is. Therefore what is the point of preserving high art culture when one commercialized place is going to ruin it?
At the end of it, I still choose Mona Lisa! Thank you for your critique! :)
Hi Pyrena,
ReplyDeleteYes, this situation is somewhat similar to the debate on whether starbucks should open in the Forbidden City in China. The strongest debates often revolve around ethnicity, race and culture and hence is no surprise why there was such a big stir up with regards to McDonalds opening in Lourve.
I too agree that in order to preserve the culture and origins of the place, the place must be left untouched, with no trace of commercialization, if not it will defeat the purpose of creating a sanctuary of high art culture.
Hi Valerie,
ReplyDeleteWhile it is the museum's decision to decide if opening a McDonalds outlet in Lourve could possbily threaten the high culture of it, it is the nation's decision as well because this concerns a national monument and a figurative symbol of the country's high art culture. Therefore the nation has a part to play in deciding if McDonalds should be opened there or not, because this deals with the potential dilution of culture which people might oppose to.
Yes, and I too agree that to strike a balance, a possibe solution such as creating an atmosphere of class for the McDonalds outlet in Lourve would fend off most criticisms.
Hi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteYes, the only solution to neutralize the effects of the two issues you have raised is to find a compromise and work towards it. In this case, Lourve could design McDonalds in a way such that it is in conjunction with the design and layout of the rest of the food outlets in the museum. Food served could also be of upper class standards. For example, instead of having it run like a fast food joint, the McDonalds outlet in Lourve could work with waitresses serving customers, just like the other restaurants at Lourve. That way, there would be less of a commercialized system infiltrating the walls of the preservation of high art.
Hi Chin,
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree wholeheartedly with you. The french government should be firm at filtering the food outlets vying to set up stalls there. Since Lourve has already been reputable for its high class restaurants and work, it should stay that way. McDonalds wrappings and all would destroy the cleaniness of Lourve as well, and I agree, how high can McDonalds get? However if people insist and there is an outrage against not setting up McDonalds at Lourve, perhaps a compromise is the only solution.
Interesting commentary. =)
ReplyDeleteMany French citizens have shown their distaste towards introducing MacDonalds in the museum. Well, it is true that MacDonalds is often a symbol of Westernisation or more specifically, American influence. Being protective of their own culture, I understand where the French are coming from. Ans yes, I do agree that it would be good to for both sides to reach a common ground to achieve a win-win situation.