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