Panopticon

A detailed Summary of Panopticon

Knowledge and power hand in hand, but whose hand is it?

Regardless from where a person comes from, one is always under constant surveillance by someone in society, which in return affects everyone's individual actions and reactions. Foucault's Panopticism proves that our ideals we have gained from society do manipulate how we act and behave without realizing it. Our society's social factors and the knowledge we possess as a society can control one's action if one comprehends how power can control other individual's actions.

Foucault's Panopticism created a prison that could achieve 100% observation by one overseer in a circular building to gain the knowledge of the prisoners and give the feeling of inferiority and powerlessness. Foucault believed "all that is needed, then, is to place a supervisor in a central tower and shut up in each cell a madman...they are so many cages, so many small theaters, in which each actor is alone, perfectly individualized and constantly visible" (319). The subject is never sure when and if they are being observed at all, leaving their ideals to self regulate and unconsciously become their own guardians. This surveillance objectifies the subjects in the cells, categorizes them and create

We have learned through sociological experiments and research that humans are easily manipulated and can conform unconsciously. Yet, how does this help the citizens without power? Or is this the whole part of our existence, the knowledge to gain power to manipulate those who conform easily? Do we really need to know this much about humans because soon we will have dissected ourselves so much to a point where nothing else is left to learn?

Why should we have the knowledge and power in the first place to deter criminal acts, though? Is the reason that the government forces laws and punishments on us because they are afraid knowledgeable citizens are a threat to their control of society? If it is the knowledge we possess as a society that controls our individual actions, then it is understandable why the government would want to have its citizens conform to all of its demands. If no one is afraid of the "punishment fitting the crime," then would we all commit crimes and run around like headless chicken in a state of anomie? Or would we have the morals that result from the social factors created by our society and the government deter us from committing the crimes and make us conform to the social norms?

When you think about it, we are all inmates of some sort in the real world. Our government today is the next Panopticon through the census, taxes, the internet, and hidden cameras because it can monitor all of our actions without our knowledge and power. So, is being watched a good thing? Or is it a violation of our rights? Or are our rights what are violating us? Censorship in any type of media such as television, newspapers, and the internet, is a restriction of our freedom of speech. Each amendment in the Bill of Rights blindly has some way for the government to look over and regulate us and create social norms that we must conform to. The right to bear arms can be restricted if you have already committed a crime, which means the government knows about almost everyone when and how many armed weapons someone may own. Or the 4th Amendment which states,

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Approximate Word count = 1402
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Politics