The Theory Of The Panopticon - 1433 Words

In this day and age, social media has become the norm, from the news to any person with access to the internet, have become reliant to fast a paced platform. Michel Foucault, 20th century French philosopher and social theorist, fully developed the theory of the panopticon, created by English philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham in the late 18th century. The panopticon, described by Bentham, is a prison structure where there are three walls constructed around the prisoner leaving an empty space where a fourth wall would normally be. The entire structure is usually in a circle, the prisoner knows that there are inmates to their left and right, but there is no way for them to communicate with one another. In the middle of the panopticon, there is a clearing where the watch tower stands. This is where the warden can observe the inmates, but there no way the inmates know when the warden is in the tower or not. The inmate does not know when they are or not being observed, for the entrance to the tower is underground. This makes the inmate to behave a different manner at all times because they do not know when they are being observed. Social media, has become in a way, a new panoptical platform where not only does the observed continue to be observed but also become the observer. There have been many discussions as to whether we can escape the panopticon through social media. We cannot escape the panopticon because there will always be someone observing us weather we putShow MoreRelatedThe Presence of Different Elements of Power in the Synagogue as Read in Malory Nye’s Religion: The Basics 1192 Words   |  5 Pagesreligious service. This essay will argue the presence of different elements of power in the synagogue we visited as discussed in Malory Nye’s Religion: The Basics. The reverence for the Torah resembles Michel Foucault’s idea of the power of the panopticon, which parallels the distinct power of the Torah. I will also argue that, based on the interactions between the rabbi and the participants at the service, Antonio Gramsci’s concept of hegemony was not properly represented in the synagogue. TheRead MoreThe Theories Of Louis Althusser And Michel Foucault1615 Words   |  7 PagesI look at the way power is exerted throughout the ritual at Kennedy Road Tabernacle in a Pentecostal church, demonstrating how those in power have control over the ones who are inferior or subordinate. Throughout this examination, I will use the theories of Louis Althusser and Michel Foucault to analyze the ways in which power is exerted within the members of this community. During my observations at our visit to the Pentecostal church, there was an unequal distribution of power between the menRead MoreSurveillance And Surveillance921 Words   |  4 Pagesbeing watched and recorded.† Moreover, the critics of how the psychological and social impact can be seen through with philosophical viewpoints. Michel Foucault an, French philosopher recognized for his influential contributions in which one of his theories establishes the understanding between power and knowledge and how they are implemented as a form of social control through societal institutions. Also, it is crucial to understand that the types of surveillance mechanisms used in correctional facilitiesRead MorePanopticism1253 Words   |  6 Pageswithin the society. According to this passage, Focault gives support to the basic argument concerning the panopticon, that communication is key to knowledge. Within the panopticon, there is no communication among the prisoners or those who view them . This becomes another aspect of power; it underlies the main idea of separation and communication as a form of shaping forces in the panopticon. The first phrase in the passage testifies to the basic structure of our society. The goal for our societyRead MoreThe Concept Of Power May Always Be Debatable1119 Words   |  5 PagesMichel Foucault builds off of Jeremy Bentham’s idea of the panopticon in his writing of Panopticism. He develops the social theory â€Å"Panopticism.† Through Foucault’s fascination with the panopticon, he demonstrates the impact constant surveillance has, not just in prisons, but also in society as a whole. The panopticon is a type of institutional building introduced by Jeremy Bentham. To gain a mental picture of the design of the panopticon, imagine a circular building with a tower in the very centerRead MoreFoucault once stated, â€Å"Our society is one not of spectacle, but of surveillance; under the surface800 Words   |  4 Pagesanalyzes in particular the Panopticon, which was a blueprint of a disciplinary institution. The idea of this institution was for inmates to be seen but not to see. As Foucault put it, â€Å"he is the object of information, never a subject in communication†(287). The Panopticon became an evolutionary method for enforcing discipline. Today there are different ways of watching people with constant surveillance and complete control without anyone knowing similar to the idea of the Panopticon. Foucault begins theRead MoreMass Surveillance and the Panopticon Analysis Essay1447 Words   |  6 Pages In Michael Foucault’s â€Å"Discipline and Punish†, the late eighteen century English philosopher Jeremy Benthams model of Panopticon was illustrated as a metaphor for the contemporary technologies of mass surveillance. Originally derived from the measures to control â€Å"abnormal beings† against the spreading of a plague, the Panopticon is an architecture designed to induce power with a permanent sense of visibility. With a tower in the center, surrounded by cells, the prisoners can be monitored andRead MoreIs Foucault s Panopticism?930 Words   |  4 PagesTo start, is Foucault s Panopticism. Panopticism uses the idea of Bentham’s Panopticon to elaborate the disciplinary ideas that he is trying to explain. The Panopticon is an â€Å"all seeing† structure that makes observations without the people ever knowing when they were being watched, even though it is clearly visible (Foucault, 204). Its gaze can be upon anyone, from a â€Å"madman, a patient, a condemned man† (Foucault, 200). These features allow Panopticism to be a passive power, rather than an activeRead MoreFoucault’s Panopticism and Its Application Within Modern Education Systems1697 Words   |   7 PagesPanopticism, a social theory based on Jeremy Bentham’s Panopticon and developed by Michel Foucault describes a disciplinary mechanism used in various aspects of society. Foucault’s Discipline and Punish discusses the development of discipline in Western society, looks in particularly at Bentham’s Panopticon and how it is a working example of how the theory is employed effectively. Foucault explains, in Discipline and Punish that ‘this book is intended as a correlative history of the modern soul andRead MoreFilm Analysis: Enemy Of The State Directed by Tony Scott1728 Words   |  7 Pagesunrealistic they may be, into the real life security organisation; The National Security Agency (NSA). Using this film as an example and analysing how these themes are represented will hopefully allow us to key these ideas back to modern surveillance theories and practices. The films central narrative follows the protagonist, city lawyer; Robert Clayton Dean (Smith) who, after a series of accidental events, finds himself in possession of an incriminating video tape of Thomas Bryan Reynolds (Voight) who

The Growing Prison Industrial Complex - 1700 Words

The growing Prison Industrial Complex is an intricate web of profit-maximizing business endeavors at the expense of the livelihood of people of color in the continental United States and abroad. With immigration from Mexico and Latin America increasing each year and definitions of who is â€Å"legal† becoming more constricting as the Obama administration cracking down on illegal border crossing, undocumented immigrants are the fastest growing prison population. This research projects aims to look how migrant detention centers are growing under the Obama Administration and how privatization affects their ability to provide adequate and safe conditions for those under their care. Journal articles, academic writings, and narrative books have been used as a foundation for this research paper. Both public and private interests have found ways to profit from detaining migrant workers and have even gone as far to manipulate policy in order to ensure their facilities remain full. These tactics have had profound affects on Latino communities and have resulted in a plethora of physical, sexual, and mental abuse claims from detainees. The United States has come a long way from accepting â€Å"huddled masses yearning to breathe free†. Especially since such masses, with the collapse of several U.S. instituted governments in Central and South American happened to be primarily non-white people who can generate profit for the ever-expanding prison i ndustry. In 2013, 990,553 people grantedShow MoreRelatedAmerican Incarceration : Where We Are, And What Can Be Done?1518 Words   |  7 Pagesgenerating a profit for shareholders. With a 500% increase in inmates that is rivalled by no other country, the United States leads the world in imprisoning a fast-growing portion of its population. It is without a doubt that adverse changes in policy regarding imprisonment along with the formation and privatization of the prison industrial complex contributes substantially to the state of mass incarceration in the United States and will continue to shape its future for the years to come. Read MorePrison Industrial Complex Economics And The United States1157 Words   |  5 Pagesother country. In the article â€Å"Prison Industrial Complex Economics†, it states, â€Å"the United States has approximately 6.5 million people under the criminal justice supervision. Incarcerated rate has grown from 176 in 1973 up to 700 in t he year of 2000† (Waquant). Incarceration is a big business that feeds into drug violence, corrupted guards, and racism in criminal justice system, taxpayer cost, and racism in the criminal system and through privatization of prisons. Drug violence The United StatesRead MoreThe Prison Industrial Complex : How Do We Define It?1640 Words   |  7 PagesWhat if I told you that prisons in America aren t built for the main purpose of locking up â€Å"criminals† and making them better to re enter society and keeping other citizens safe but for some companies to make profit off of cheap labor? In essence that is the prison industrial complex. How do we define it? A few define it as a term that is used to explain rapid expansion of the US inmate population to the political influence of private prison companies and businesses that supply goods and servicesRead MoreThe Prison Industrial Complex Feels Like A Dirty Phrase1610 Words   |  7 PagesThe prison industrial complex feels like a dirty phrase, an almost unspoken taboo in this world. However, unlike most taboos, it is an unspoken taboo. No one likes to discuss the oppresion that is happening to a group of marginalized people. It is slavery, and unfortunately there is no other way to phrase it. Prisoners are being put to work, for cents an hour. They are being kept in cages, the conditions of which are atrocious, and then are let out for just enough activity and roaming time so theyRead MoreThe Prison Industrial Complex Within The U.s. Essay2151 Words   |  9 Pagesof the Prison Industrial Complex within the U.S. Following the privatisation of the prison industry in the 1970’s, the prison population of the U.S. has increased by an estimated 500%. Despite this, statistics suggests that overall reported crime rates have remained relatively stable. (Fortner, 2013). A question is raised then, as to why incarceration rates would be on the rise despite little change in crime. This essay will attempt to answer this question and to make sense of the Prison IndustrialRead MoreHow Does Lack Of Support System And Resulting Poverty Influence Prisoner Re Entry?916 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction: (1.5-2) (Story on prisoner and his life after prison here) In 2014, the United States incarcerated 449,000 newly convicted offenders while releasing 636,300 inmates (Carson, 2015). Upon release, offenders were expected to be able to function back in society under parole supervision. This is not the case for many offenders. As they are released from prison, they lack the necessary skills, education, opportunities and support system to successfully reintegrate back into society (PetersiliaRead MoreThe Prison System Of America1052 Words   |  5 PagesThe â€Å"Prison Industrial Complex† was a term that was used by anti-prison activist within the prison abolishment movement to argue the attendant interest of prison industrialization, and t development of a minority prison labor force (Davis, 2003). This giant prison enterprise is an essential component of the U.S. economy, and has as its purposes such as profit, social control, and an interweaving of private business and government. These giant financial institutions recognized that pri son buildingRead MoreDownsizing Of The American Penal System1474 Words   |  6 Pagesrehabilitation and second was to find a way to stabilize the size of the U.S. prison system. A National Advisory Commission report from 1973 was documented saying that â€Å"no new institutions for adults should be built and existing institutions for juveniles should be closed†. They also concluded that â€Å"the prison, the reformatory and the jail have achieved only a shocking level of failure†. (1973, pp 523) The official association for prisons and jails in the United States, the American Correctional AssociationRead MoreAngela Davis and Feminism Essay1562 Words   |  7 Pagesher determination to combat inequality in gender roles, sexuality, and sexual identity through feminism. I will give a brief biography of Davis in order for the readers to better understand her background, but the primary focus of this paper is the prison industry and its effect on female sexuality. Angela Davis is an international activist/ organizer, author, professor, and scholar who defends any form of oppression. She was born January 26, 1944 in Birmingham, AL to Frank and Sally Davie. Both ofRead MoreSociologists Are Angry And You Should Be Too : Reflection On Readings Essay1747 Words   |  7 Pageson drugs as a factor leading to the rampant racism in police forces across America, which threw kindling on the fire of the Black Lives Matter movement, but that was not one of Western’s concerns while writing his paper. He discusses the prison industrial complex in great detail. With prisoners a social class all their own, equivalent to slaves, one could compare Western’s work to the observations of Weber. Prisoners have no property, very little wealth and almost no prestige in society, getting no

The Prinicple Of Utility Essay Example For Students

The Prinicple Of Utility Essay Word Count: 2337The Principle of Utility A. Jeremy Bentham (1748 1832)There are two main people that talked about the principles of utility and they were Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. First off Ill talk to you about Mr. Bentham. It is helpful to see Benthams moral philosophy in the context of his political philosophy, his attempt to find a rational approach to law and legislative action. He argued against natural law theory and thought that the classical theories of Plato and Aristotle as well as notions such as Kants Categorical Imperative were too outdated, confusing and/or controversial to be of much help with societys ills and a program of social reform. He adopted what he took to be a simple and scientific approach to the problems of law and morality and grounded his approach in the Principle of Utility. The Principle of Utility1. Recognizes the fundamental role of Painand Pleasure in human life. 2. Approves or disapproves of an action on thebasis of the amount of pain or pleasure broughtabout (consequences). 3.Equates the good with the pleasurableand evil with pain. 4.Asserts that pleasure and pain are capableof quantification-and hence of measure. As with the emerging theory of capitalism in the 18th and 19th Century England, we could speak of pleasure as pluses and pains as minuses. Thus the utilitarian would calculate which actions bring about more pluses over minuses. In measuring pleasure and pain, Bentham introduces the following criteria:Its intensity, duration, certainty (or uncertainty), and its nearness (or fairness). He also includes its fecundity (more or less of the same will follow) and its purity (its pleasure wont be followed by pain vice versa). In considering actions that affect numbers of people, we must also account for their extent. As a social reformer, Bentham applied this principle to the laws of England for example, those areas of the law concerning crime and punishment. An analysis of theft reveals that it not only causes harm to the victim, but also, if left unpunished, it endangers the very status of private property and the stability of society. In seeing this, the legislator should devise a punishment that is useful in deterring theft. But in matters of private morality such as sexual preference and private behavior, Bentham felt that it was not at all useful to involve the legislature. Bentham also thought that the principle of utility could apply to our treatment of animals. The question is not whether they can talk or reason, but whether they can suffer. As such, that suffering should be taken into account in our treatment of them. Here we can see a moral ground for laws that aim at the prevention of cruelty to animals (and such cruelty was often witnessed in Benthams day.) (Cavalier)John Stuart Mill (1806 1873)It is better to be a human being dissatisfied that a pig satisfied;better Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. For Mill, it is not the quantity of pleasure, but the quality of happiness. Benthams calculus is unreasonable qualities cannot be quantified (there is a distinction between higher and lower pleasures). Mills utilitarianism culminates in The Greatest Happiness Principle.(Cavalier)If I am asked what I mean by difference of quality in pleasures, or what one pleasure more valuable than another, merely as a pleasure, except its being greater in amount, there is but one possible answer. Of two pleasures, if there be one to which all or almost all who have experience of both give a decided preference, irrespective of any feeling of moral obligation to prefer it, that is the more desirable pleasure. If one of the two is, by those who are competently acquainted with both, placed so far above the other that they prefer it, even though knowing it to be attended with a greater amount of discontent, and would not resign it for any quantity of the other pleasure which their nature is capable of, w e are justified in ascribing to the preferred enjoyment a superiority in quality so far outweighing quantity as to render it, in comparison, of small account. (Cavalier) The principle of utility tells us to produce the greatest balance of happiness over unhappiness, making sure that we give equal consideration to the happiness and unhappiness of everyone who stands to be affected by our actions. The principle of utility can be applied in two different ways. The first is to apply it to individual acts. How are we to do that? Well, we might ask ourselves every time we act which of the options open to us will maximize happiness, but Mill did not recommend that procedure because it would be much too time consuming. Since we know that lying and staling and cheating will rarely maximize happiness when everyone is taken equally into account, the sensible thing to do is avoid such behavior without worrying about the principle of utility. (Barry pg.8)The learning process of Bentham and Mill was very strange and different. They expressed things in there own words that were different from the rest of us, and the way we might think about pleasure and happiness. Trying to understand where they were coming from was hard to follow and to understand. To understand the meanings of happiness and pleasure are difficult and will very from person to person. So when you think about it you try to see it from there point of view, but you can only see it from your view. You may understand there what there expressing, but your though is what counts. Beowulf - The Ideal Hero EssayMy view pointSeeing things from my point of view, Id have to agree with the argument of the Individualist view. Where each person is responsible for there own actions. They make there own decisions in life and should be responsible for them too. But in making those decisions there are consequences that you may pay for them. In our society there comes a time where we are working half the time for other people. And we have to accept that role in life. When we make money we can only spend about two0thirds of that because the rest of it is taken away for other peoples needs. That can be both good and bad, but I like to think that the money that I never see is going somewhere or to someone for a good reason. We all need help at some point in time, and I hope that after we get that help we can see that weve been helped and maybe now is a good time for me to help out someone else. Another means of money giving is to charity. Just like welfare, charity is anot her good reason for our society to help people or even groups that are in need for help or research. In our society there are many people that count on others for help. The people that need help for medical reasons or what have you deserve the right to benefit from charities or other outside donations. The one thing that our society can not do is take advantage of these actions and right them off on our taxes. We can not take advantage of the taxpayers money. We need to use our society in the best way we can ethically. Cavalier, Robert http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/CAAE/80130/part1/sect4/BenardandMill.html, 2/9/00. Barry, Vincent, Applying Ethics: A Text With Readings, Wadsworth Publishing,Belmount, 1983. Cohen, Warren, Ethics in Thought and Action, Ardsley House Publisher, New York, 1995.