Manuel
A. Beltran
SOC 385
Blog #10
Foucault
Panopticism is a theory developed by Michel Foucault which was inspired
by Jeremy Bentham’s theorization of panopticon. Panopticon is a circular shaped
building (i.e. a prison) which has at its center an observation tower where
guards can view the prisoners in their cells but prisoners may not see the
guards or determine whether someone is in the tower or where they are watching.
In practice prisoners are then strongly encouraged to carry themselves as if
they were actually being watched due to the risk of being
caught.
Panopticism then works by getting people to govern or auto-police
themselves and or their peers when in a situation where one has to decide
whether to act correctly or in the above example, illegally. This concept can be
applied to prisons such as the above mentioned, Chicago street corners where
there are traffic cameras, as well as streets where people learn cops park by to
catch people speeding or set up check points. Realistically it is impossible for
police or authorities to catch everyone every time, but assuming the
consequences for breaking the law are significant, people tend to auto-police
themselves to avoid the mere risk of being caught. They assume they are being
watched be it by guards, or police officers on the streets. This latter even
influences people when at a stop sign sometimes where there are clearly no cops
or traffic anywhere near there, and yet people stop at the stop sign as if there
were. People even get to the point where they will not turn on red even if there
is no camera or “No Turn on Red”signs.
While trying to find an example of this I remembered a movie I watched
when I was younger, unfortunately I forgot the name! To sum it up it was a
Sci-fi movie where there was a guy locked up in a futuristic prison where not
only were prisoners being watched on camera but the prison somehow monitored
their dreams as well. If prisoners are caught dreaming they would be woken up
and be hurt somehow (again because I forgot the name and it was a while ago I
apologize for not remembering more details). The main character asks his
cellmate about this at the beginning and he responds that he has not had a
single dream in years. This is of course an extreme scenario but the concept is
the same: one begins to behave at all times as if being watched.
The
other situation where I can think of Foucault’s theory is with regards to
traffic. I do not only mean the traffic cameras that make us stay put at every
single red light and stop at yellow lights at times but in influencing people
when they choose to break the rules. People, although perhaps not the majority,
begin to see patterns in situations where they feel they are constantly being
watched. One example is one which an automotive instructor gave me a while back
where people learn why people get arrested for DUI (*DO NOT DRINK and DRIVE!).
He pointed out that while most people try to get out of driving, it is
unrealistic that no one at a bar drives legally drunk. People tend to get
pulled over if they are outright driving like maniacs, or if they have a broken
light, forget to use a turn signal or speed. By this argument if one takes care
of these general points, one could get away with driving when one is drunk and
really should not.
While driving every day, people are taught to follow the speed
limit while passing thru certain areas if they learn that a squad car parks
around there with a radar gun. When driving through an area that is unfamiliar
to us, we also tend to follow the speed limit and all rules because we do not
know if and when we are being watched and must assume so.
A. Beltran
SOC 385
Blog #10
Foucault
Panopticism is a theory developed by Michel Foucault which was inspired
by Jeremy Bentham’s theorization of panopticon. Panopticon is a circular shaped
building (i.e. a prison) which has at its center an observation tower where
guards can view the prisoners in their cells but prisoners may not see the
guards or determine whether someone is in the tower or where they are watching.
In practice prisoners are then strongly encouraged to carry themselves as if
they were actually being watched due to the risk of being
caught.
Panopticism then works by getting people to govern or auto-police
themselves and or their peers when in a situation where one has to decide
whether to act correctly or in the above example, illegally. This concept can be
applied to prisons such as the above mentioned, Chicago street corners where
there are traffic cameras, as well as streets where people learn cops park by to
catch people speeding or set up check points. Realistically it is impossible for
police or authorities to catch everyone every time, but assuming the
consequences for breaking the law are significant, people tend to auto-police
themselves to avoid the mere risk of being caught. They assume they are being
watched be it by guards, or police officers on the streets. This latter even
influences people when at a stop sign sometimes where there are clearly no cops
or traffic anywhere near there, and yet people stop at the stop sign as if there
were. People even get to the point where they will not turn on red even if there
is no camera or “No Turn on Red”signs.
While trying to find an example of this I remembered a movie I watched
when I was younger, unfortunately I forgot the name! To sum it up it was a
Sci-fi movie where there was a guy locked up in a futuristic prison where not
only were prisoners being watched on camera but the prison somehow monitored
their dreams as well. If prisoners are caught dreaming they would be woken up
and be hurt somehow (again because I forgot the name and it was a while ago I
apologize for not remembering more details). The main character asks his
cellmate about this at the beginning and he responds that he has not had a
single dream in years. This is of course an extreme scenario but the concept is
the same: one begins to behave at all times as if being watched.
The
other situation where I can think of Foucault’s theory is with regards to
traffic. I do not only mean the traffic cameras that make us stay put at every
single red light and stop at yellow lights at times but in influencing people
when they choose to break the rules. People, although perhaps not the majority,
begin to see patterns in situations where they feel they are constantly being
watched. One example is one which an automotive instructor gave me a while back
where people learn why people get arrested for DUI (*DO NOT DRINK and DRIVE!).
He pointed out that while most people try to get out of driving, it is
unrealistic that no one at a bar drives legally drunk. People tend to get
pulled over if they are outright driving like maniacs, or if they have a broken
light, forget to use a turn signal or speed. By this argument if one takes care
of these general points, one could get away with driving when one is drunk and
really should not.
While driving every day, people are taught to follow the speed
limit while passing thru certain areas if they learn that a squad car parks
around there with a radar gun. When driving through an area that is unfamiliar
to us, we also tend to follow the speed limit and all rules because we do not
know if and when we are being watched and must assume so.