“Panopticism” by Michel Foucault Essay

Our familiarity is non genius of spectacle, but of surveillance downstairs the surface of images, ane invests bodies in depth derriere the great abstraction of exchange, there continues the meticulous cover training of useful forces the circuits of communication argon the supports of an assembling and a centralization of acquaintance the play of signs defines the anchorages of magnate it is non that the beautiful totality of the private is amputated, repressed, altered by our social order, it is rather that the individual is cautiously fabricated in it, according to a satisfying technique of forces and bodies. (240, Foucault)In the essay, Panopticism, by Michel Foucault, he makes the argument that we spirited in a community of surveillance. It is mainly this surveillance that descriptors the basis of authority that draws the individual to commit that the world he lives in is one that is continually ceremonial over him. This becomes another aspect of business lead er where it underlies the main idea of separation as one of the many forms of forces in the Panopticon.The effects of surveillance atomic number 18 clearly discussed in Foucaults essay. The infected tribe was unendingly spy by presenting themselves at their windows for attendance. If they did not demeanor forth the window at that time, they would be considered and marked as dead. Their family would be removed, the house would be cleaned out, perfumed, and then, mere hours later, sight would move back in. Obviously, the dismayfulness of not macrocosm watched would be strong in this situation, resulting in drastic measures taken once mortal could not be watched. The plague stands as a representation against which the idea of discipline was created. The existence of a whole set of techniques for measuring and supervising irregular bes brings into play the disciplinary mechanisms created by the fear of the plague.The Panopticon, is a prison that is a machine for dissociatin g the collect/being seen dyad in the peripheric ring, one is totally seen, without constantly seeing. (228, Foucault) This means that those who argon being seen rear end not see one another and the one who sees everything stack never be seen. For the observer, the benefit of being discover is that is establishes the ability to control, change and influence the person. The observer separates the individual from the group by observation, thereby making them separatelyawargon of themselves, but mainly the observer. This helps obscure the idea of cohesion with others and prevents organization and conspiracy. The panopticon architecture in which everyone is observed and analyzed is incorporated in a construction that makes these operations easy to perform. The theory of discipline develops out of the need for surveillance shown in the plague. Plague measures were call for to protect society, which as a result allowed the panopticon to influence might efficiently.Foucault makes this assumption about todays society by saying that we are eer being watched whether we know it or not. One always keeps an eye over their shoulder as a result of the constant fear that someone is honoring them. The power gives those in charge a refuge net, making the individual conscious of the presence of a dark watcher, causing them to think twice in the first place acting.An example found in todays society would be the notion of Santa Claus and how Santa Claus can be used as a form of power to make children behave. He knows when you are sleeping. He knows when youre awake. He knows if youve been bad or goodly. So be good for goodness sake. The song about Santa Claus is more(prenominal) than a Christmas carol, it is used to plant the constant fear in the mind of a child that they are being watched even when they cant see who is doing the watching. The mere threat at Christmas time of this hidden force is enough to keep children well behaved. other example is that when we are born, we are given a social security number and a remember of our birth. Information goes into a database that is accessible to many people. The disposal and head offices in the United States can caterpillar track us with ease since ever job and civilise we can attend uses our social security number. in that respect is not a single bank draw we can open or a contribute we can receive without people in higher(prenominal) places knowing about it. Even though we can not see people watching us, we are constantly being watched and tracked by our government. These are examples of many in our society.Also, verbal communication in the Panopticon was not an option. The prisonerswere not allowed to speak to one another. This specialise on communication dehumanizes the inmate. If one cannot communicate, not except is new knowledge difficult to gain, but one cannot feel comfort in the simple knowledge that they are not alone.Throughout this endless mind-game, people do not have the idea that they are fabricated and reshaped. Being under surveillance has brought discipline. In the central tower, one sees everything without ever being seen. (226, Foucault) Foucault describes the inside of the Panopticon where in the center stands a guard. Whenever we walk into a retail store, we are always under observation. on that point is a circular glass piece on the top of the ceiling with a rotating camera facial expression down upon each of our movements. We think someone is watching us. And from that, we react with discipline. It has proven to be a form of behavior to give us a wicked conscious or the simple fear of being caught.In conclusion, Foucaults argument may not be easily understood given the problem of his writing, but with the examples and proof of such the mind-games that we live in in our society today is a good way of understanding his point of view. Michel Foucaults Panopticism shows that society is under surveillance. The panopticon represents the way in which discipline and penalisation work in in advance(p) society, where it shows how the processes of observation and run function. Schools, factories, hospitals and prisons resemble each other, not just because they look similar, but because they examine pupils, workers, patients and prisoners, classify them as individuals and sweat to make them conform to the norm. The fact that the modern citizen spends much of his life in at least some of these institutions reveals how far society has changed. We live in a society that watches over ones movement to judge if their behavior is wrong. It is in eventual(prenominal) fear and anxiety that we live out our lives everyday.