Psychoanalysis and the Gaze.

Media Ideology.

Panopticism. TASK1.

'Choose an example of one aspect of contemporary culture that is, in your opinion, panoptic. Write an explanation of this, in approximately 100-200 words, employing key Foucauldian language, such as 'Docile Bodies' or 'self-regulation, and using not less than 5 quotes from the text'Panopticism' in Thomas, J. (2000) 'Reading Images', NY, Palgrave McMillan'.

For any body living in todays society, it seems clear that every aspect of peoples lives are determined by some form of Panopticism. I think that the most obvious example of Panopticism within society is largely 'Religion'.

Religion is something that is kept/practiced by many, many people in todays society and also that of which is most probably the best example of Panopticism widely used in the world we live in today.

Foucault describes the Panopticon as a metaphor for how society now organizes It's procedures. Religion being a way of organizing people/conditioning them to all believe in one 'thing' which makes them think and act in a certain way.

These people are always under the watchful eye of their God/Lord, or as Foucault explains, under constant surveillance. Religion works in this way by, giving these people beliefs, these beliefs, such as 'thy shall not kill' and 'thy shall not steal', create a barrier into heaven, as If they don't not abide to the 'morals'/'rules' which are put before them, they will not gain their rightful position in heaven.

Therefore, by believing they are being watched, means that they will act in a certain way all the time. This is increased through the idea that God is there but you cannot see him, 'He is seen, but he does not see' (Foucault, 1977, p 80), this relates directly back to the idea of the Panopticon and how the people within the Panopticon receive mental discipline which becomes self discipline or self regulation, because they cannot see into the tower, they don't know when or if there is a guard, which causes them to act well all the time. Another couple of key quotes which relate to this would be: 'house of certainty' (Foucault, 1977, p 83), which describes their being no guards and no restraints, the deviant restrain themselves. 'And this invisibility is a guarantee of order' (Foucault, 1977, p 80). The tower is designed to be visible but unverifiable, causing the inmates to 'self regulate'.

This is a good description of - the docile body, the inmates don't even know why they act the way they do anymore, they just get on with it - 'permanent registration' (Foucault, 1977, p 77). From Foucaults writing, something that best describes the idea of Religion being Panopticism is 'that of a pure community', getting rid of all the deviant in society and training them to be correct.

The first few paragraphs on the second page begin to talk about everything almost being determined for us, which seems to tie in with religion and the idea of God having a plan for everyone.

One other quote which links to the idea of a God watching us, is: 'consious and permanent visibility that assures the automatic functioning of power' (Foucault, 1977, p 82).

Panopticism. Michel Foucault.

A Brief description of Panopticicsm: Panopticism relates to the idea of today's society and surveillance, institutional power is also a major factor in how society is controlled by this constant surveillance.

People not deemed 'economically' constructive, for example: the poor, criminals and homeless, were 'slammed' in THE GREAT CONFINEMENT, this happened in the the late 1600's.

The confinements hid the deviant away, bt gradually it was seen as a massive error made by society and this was later abandoned.

Then came the birth of the Asylum - 'The Panopticon'. This is what Michel Foucault writes about.

In the Panopticon:-

- Patients are treated like children

-Rather than repressing people through punishment, they correct people through MENTAL rather than the PHYSICAL. 'Controlling the mind'.

- PHYSICAL to MENTAL, makes people discipline themselves.

The PANOPTICON is discipline through surveillance.

For Foucault, the panopticon seems to persuade the people in there, that the way they are being treated and watched is normalacy. The panopticon for Foucault, illustrated that the prisoners eventually monitor their own behaviour, beginning to embody the rules, by being shaped by the power of the persuasive authority, (this being the guards in the tower, who may or may not be there). 

Postcard of an American panopticon.

(The 'guards' sit in the tower, whilst people within the asylum are in rooms on their own only being able to look out and not seeing any other person. They feel watched all the time, they don't know when or IF anybody is in the tower and so behave all the time and therefore discipline themselves with no need for guards or any sort of monitoring). 

NOTES.