http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500186_162-598267.html
After reading about Foucault I had a hard time trying to relate it back to something. However after doing more research on his theories I chose his idea of panopticism in modern society. Foucault’s theory of panopticism is based on Jeremy Bentham’s principle of the Panopticon. The Panopticon is a type of institutional building in which its design consisted of a circular structure. The specific structure was chosen to allow a watchman to observe all inmates of an institution to have the inmates think they are being watched at all times. This can be seen as self policing and a form of power in which the inmates are trained to behave a certain way. While continuing to do research on Panopticism and a more modern example to connect it too I came across “The mommy myth” or “New momism.”
The Mommy myth is a book written by authors Susan Douglas and Meredith Michaels in which they discuss how mothers are told to be the “perfect” mother but in their book challenge to redefine the role of a mother. The author describes “the new momism” by being a highly romanticized myth of the perfect mother. The “perfect” mother having a to do list of being the caretaker, consumer safety expert, hometaker and still maintain her own image.” Let’s face it this is really hard to do there is no way a mother can take care of her child, family, finances, all domestic work and still be able to maintain a “sexy” image for her husband taking care of children is exhausting. This idea of the mommy myth makes mothers believe that they are constantly being watched and judged on their mothering skills which alters their behavior to be “the perfect mom.” The author states these unrealistic standards come from four factors fear fantasy marketing and politics.
She states that fear often comes from the media in the magazines we see where women who just had children are already able to fit into their old jeans and look just as good as they did before having the baby. Through this fear this fantasy is created that they have to have the perfect body and look amazing right after having a child. She also discusses how this fantasy that motherhood is perfect where your child does not scream is created through the magazines seen near the checkout stand. As far as marketing goes the author explains how children have been broken down into demographic niches “0-3 months” “3-6 months” forcing parents to go out and buy these specific products that aim towards their child’s demographics where as if they don’t buy them their child is being “left in the dust.”
All of these above things make mothers monitor their mothering skills and this is created through the four factors the author states and these factors are created by society. It is the same concept of women altering themselves according to society because all of society is “watching” them. Due to all these things society creates it drives mothers crazy to go out and be the “perfect” mother by buying all the things needed for her child, having to look “sexy” after having children, making sure they play Mozart for their child, teaching them math at a young age, etc; all of these made up beliefs on what motherhood is all about. This theme of New Mommy reinforces the idea of Foucault’s idea of panopticism, the mothers are “self-policing” themselves to behave an act a certain way as if they are being watched whether or not someone is present assessing their mothering skills.
After reading about Foucault I had a hard time trying to relate it back to something. However after doing more research on his theories I chose his idea of panopticism in modern society. Foucault’s theory of panopticism is based on Jeremy Bentham’s principle of the Panopticon. The Panopticon is a type of institutional building in which its design consisted of a circular structure. The specific structure was chosen to allow a watchman to observe all inmates of an institution to have the inmates think they are being watched at all times. This can be seen as self policing and a form of power in which the inmates are trained to behave a certain way. While continuing to do research on Panopticism and a more modern example to connect it too I came across “The mommy myth” or “New momism.”
The Mommy myth is a book written by authors Susan Douglas and Meredith Michaels in which they discuss how mothers are told to be the “perfect” mother but in their book challenge to redefine the role of a mother. The author describes “the new momism” by being a highly romanticized myth of the perfect mother. The “perfect” mother having a to do list of being the caretaker, consumer safety expert, hometaker and still maintain her own image.” Let’s face it this is really hard to do there is no way a mother can take care of her child, family, finances, all domestic work and still be able to maintain a “sexy” image for her husband taking care of children is exhausting. This idea of the mommy myth makes mothers believe that they are constantly being watched and judged on their mothering skills which alters their behavior to be “the perfect mom.” The author states these unrealistic standards come from four factors fear fantasy marketing and politics.
She states that fear often comes from the media in the magazines we see where women who just had children are already able to fit into their old jeans and look just as good as they did before having the baby. Through this fear this fantasy is created that they have to have the perfect body and look amazing right after having a child. She also discusses how this fantasy that motherhood is perfect where your child does not scream is created through the magazines seen near the checkout stand. As far as marketing goes the author explains how children have been broken down into demographic niches “0-3 months” “3-6 months” forcing parents to go out and buy these specific products that aim towards their child’s demographics where as if they don’t buy them their child is being “left in the dust.”
All of these above things make mothers monitor their mothering skills and this is created through the four factors the author states and these factors are created by society. It is the same concept of women altering themselves according to society because all of society is “watching” them. Due to all these things society creates it drives mothers crazy to go out and be the “perfect” mother by buying all the things needed for her child, having to look “sexy” after having children, making sure they play Mozart for their child, teaching them math at a young age, etc; all of these made up beliefs on what motherhood is all about. This theme of New Mommy reinforces the idea of Foucault’s idea of panopticism, the mothers are “self-policing” themselves to behave an act a certain way as if they are being watched whether or not someone is present assessing their mothering skills.