Panopticism in the Digital Age

In relation to Foucault’s perspective of panopticism, our modern society uses digital platforms such as Google, Bing, Instagram, Facebook, and many more platforms as a way to force people to behave properly. Posting or searching for certain content can flag or alert the government of improper usage of said platforms. Continue reading

Is Foucault Right?

The idea of panopticism, proposed by French philosopher Michel Foucault, enforces surveillance and the idea of punishment, rather than punishment itself. It is an idea that shifts away from a single authority figure, like a king or queen, and shifts to a more group-based system. The control of the population Continue reading

Is Foucault right?

As we know, panopticism is a system in which the belief that we are being watched forces us to behave “properly.” Based on my own understanding of Foucault’s discussion of panopticism, I think one way in which panopticism has been embedded in our society is through the use of surveillance Continue reading

Panopticism

Panopticism is a framework of societal structure and control marked by continuous surveillance and the internalization of disciplinary methods by individuals. Within panoptic establishments, whether physical or conceptual, people endure scrutiny and regulation, frequently without outward coercion. One way in which panopticism has been embedded in our society is through Continue reading

Surveillance Society: Navigating the Panoptic Web

In today’s digital age, the omnipresence of surveillance has become deeply ingrained in our societal fabric, echoing Michel Foucault’s concept of panopticism. Panopticism, as elucidated by Foucault, posits that the mere perception of being watched induces individuals to conform to societal norms and behave in a manner deemed “appropriate.” This Continue reading

Is it Safety or Control?

A Panopticon’s major effect is to “induce in the inmate a state of conscious and permanent visibility that assures the automatic functioning of power.”   From the reading material, Foucault stressed the importance, convenience, and unique qualities of a panopticon. Panopticons offer an efficient and effective method for overseeing a prison with Continue reading

Who is Watching?

When I walk down the street, one of the main things I will find on buildings or telephone poles is a camera. Who is watching this footage? Will this footage ever be used for something? Is my person known and monitored by some secret agent in an office building? Surveillance Continue reading