The Panopticon Essay example -- Panopticon Papers

The Panopticon There have been , since the time of the Enlightenment, two distinct models for disciplinal institutions. Both of these models may be seen in the form of prisons. The contemporary ideal of the institutions derives its form from Benthams Panopticon. In the period shortly following the age of Enlightenment, Bentham, an economist by trade, began to critically evaluate the disciplinary institutions of the day. Seeing that the model of the prison could be characterized as a form of discipline-blockade, he set out to improve the functionality of the prison as well as other institutions. Being an economist, Bentham saw that these institutions were not functionally productive. In describing the discipline blockade form Michel Foucault writes that it is, turned inwards towards detrimental functions arresting evil, breaking communications, suspending time.(209, Discipline and Punish) Now although this may seem befitting of criminal behavior, there is another disciplinary mod el which, when employed, will achieve faraway greater results than that previously described. This current form is termed a, discipline-mechanism by Foucault.(209) This mechanism is not limited in practice to prisons, its widespread use can form a disciplinary society through its employment in the minute institutions of society. Its deployment will create a disciplinary society where power is not accumulated yet is made functional and useful in maintaining societal discipline. However, before singing the praises of this new mechanism, it would be beneficial to analyze the pre-existing forms of discipline and how they lead to this new model. Also, it would not be wise to readily accept this panopticism without realizing the social ramifications of this n... ..., cause some uneasy feelings in those citizens in non-disciplinary spaces where they feel autonomous. The notion of being continuously surveilled and coerced begs the question if humans are so subtly coerced, do we really have the freedom to defy that coercion? Where has that freedom gone?Panopticism is a really useful tool. However, when diffused into societys non-disciplinary spaces it may create tension and hostility. This is not to say that this tool should not be used but that it should possibly have boundaries and limitations. conjunction should not revert to the blockade to compensate, but should recognize the very subtle ways in which we are influenced in our decisions in order to make decisions which reach our own interests and not those of the power structure.Works CitedFoucault, Michel., Discipline and Punish, 1977. Random House, Inc., New York.