Choose an example of one aspect of contemporary culture that is, in your opinion, panoptic. Write an explanation of this, in approximately 200-300 words
I've chosen to discuss speed cameras as an aspect of our culture that works in a panoptic nature to enforce authority. Speed cameras were set up in order to regulate the speed of which you're traveling and to improve general road safety. The reason this has been successful in creating this control derives from the idea that 'visibilty is a trap' (Foucault, 1977)
Speed cameras are placed adjacent to the road on which you're traveling and point into the direction of the car that's approaching. The intention of this is to create 'a society of self-regulating, docile bodies in fear of exposure- of themselves or of their deviant actions.' (Foucault, 1977) In other words, to acheive a form of obedience within society, people must feel that there's a sense of high-ranking power that has a watchful eye on their behavior. Speed cameras do this effectively. When approaching a camera, a driver tends to get 3 visual warnings that a camera is coming up. This means that a driver uses this time to adjust their speed in order to meet the standards of the requested speed limit. Although there is a large percentage of the worlds populations that exceed the speed limit, most of these people will slow down when approaching a camera as it becomes apparent that their action are being observed.
Jeremy Bentham developed the Panopticon in which cells are arranged around a central tower containing guards. Each cell would be exposed to the rest of the building populace ensuring that not only do the prisoners feel a sense of vulnerability but they're completely exposed. It's this exposure that creates a certain insecurity leading people to act in a way in which they think will acceptable in society. As Foucault states, 'Hence the major effect of the Panopticon: to induce in the inmate a state of conscious and permanent visibility thats assures the automatic functioning of power.' (Foucault, 1977)
Personally what I find most interesting about Panopticism is that no-one actually forces this control. By simply having a watchful eye over someone you can control and regulate their actions in a way that creates dominance. People become so aware of how they 'should' act and in a sense lose that autonomy or that freedom. 'He who is subjected to a field of visibility, and who knows it, assumes responsibility for the constraints of power,' (Foucault, 1977) touches on the idea that in order for someone to have supremacy, you must allow them of this.
Speed cameras are one of many ways in which disciplinary mechanisms are applied in our society, in order to achieve the ostensible 'utopia of a perfectly governed city.' (Foucault, 1977)
I've chosen to discuss speed cameras as an aspect of our culture that works in a panoptic nature to enforce authority. Speed cameras were set up in order to regulate the speed of which you're traveling and to improve general road safety. The reason this has been successful in creating this control derives from the idea that 'visibilty is a trap' (Foucault, 1977)
Speed cameras are placed adjacent to the road on which you're traveling and point into the direction of the car that's approaching. The intention of this is to create 'a society of self-regulating, docile bodies in fear of exposure- of themselves or of their deviant actions.' (Foucault, 1977) In other words, to acheive a form of obedience within society, people must feel that there's a sense of high-ranking power that has a watchful eye on their behavior. Speed cameras do this effectively. When approaching a camera, a driver tends to get 3 visual warnings that a camera is coming up. This means that a driver uses this time to adjust their speed in order to meet the standards of the requested speed limit. Although there is a large percentage of the worlds populations that exceed the speed limit, most of these people will slow down when approaching a camera as it becomes apparent that their action are being observed.
Jeremy Bentham developed the Panopticon in which cells are arranged around a central tower containing guards. Each cell would be exposed to the rest of the building populace ensuring that not only do the prisoners feel a sense of vulnerability but they're completely exposed. It's this exposure that creates a certain insecurity leading people to act in a way in which they think will acceptable in society. As Foucault states, 'Hence the major effect of the Panopticon: to induce in the inmate a state of conscious and permanent visibility thats assures the automatic functioning of power.' (Foucault, 1977)
Personally what I find most interesting about Panopticism is that no-one actually forces this control. By simply having a watchful eye over someone you can control and regulate their actions in a way that creates dominance. People become so aware of how they 'should' act and in a sense lose that autonomy or that freedom. 'He who is subjected to a field of visibility, and who knows it, assumes responsibility for the constraints of power,' (Foucault, 1977) touches on the idea that in order for someone to have supremacy, you must allow them of this.
Speed cameras are one of many ways in which disciplinary mechanisms are applied in our society, in order to achieve the ostensible 'utopia of a perfectly governed city.' (Foucault, 1977)
