Task 1 - Panopticism.

Choose an example of one aspect of contemporary culture that is, in your opinion, panoptic. Write an explanation of this, in approximately 200-300 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.

Parallels can also be drawn in modern days society to panoctism, with the thought or scare of constantly being watched forces people to think or act in certain ways. The panopticon was tall circular structure, the concept of the design is to allow an observer to observe, inmates are constantly being watched by figures of authority/made to feel as if they are being watched. The psychological effect of the building is to induce the idea that you are being watched thus you behave in a way as if you are being watched, and by doing so we will be left with, as what Faucalt calls 'a utopia of a perfectly governed city...' (Thomas, 2000, p.79).

Some examples of panopticism being applied in the 21st century culture are;

CCTV; no matter where you go these days there are constant visual reminders that you are being watched or recorded by cctv, forcing a person to act in a way as if they are being watched, following 'normal' social movements and acting how you would act if you was being watched by an authoritative figure. This also relates further to the panoptic theory with most of these said CCTV camera not actually in operation however you are still acting as these Docile bodies and acting in a way which you would be expected because you feel like that is what they would want you to do, even though nobody is actually watching you. In the text 'Panopticism' in Thomas, J. (2000) 'Reading Images' Faucalt states that, "social space is observed at every point... the slightest movement of individuals is supervised and recorded...written documentation links the omnipresent and omniscient hierarchic centre with the quarantined periphery". (Thomas, 2000, p.79). Which is highly linked with CCTV cameras, in the panopticon everything an individual does is watched and recorded and by doing so makes the individual submissive and do as they are suppose to, ' omniscient hierarchic centre with the quarantined periphery', and when applied to 21^st the century we all do as we are suppose to in fear of being watched and recorded by cameras.

Open plan offices, because of the fear that your manager or boss could walk past at any minute you constantly act as a docile body, acting in a way that you feel you should be doing, just incase on the off chance your manager see's you. For the workers  ‘visibility is a trap’ (Thomas, 2000, p.80), they are easily seen my an authoritative figure and by Doing this makes the worker more productive and obedient, because they feel they are being watched therefore they do what they should be doing.

Foucault states, 'This surveillance is based on a model of permanent registration.' (Thomas, 2000, p.77), which relates to a an example of panopticism in contemporary culture that effects me daily. The sign up sheet we have up in the graphic design studio everyday. This is a register in which we have to sign our names each day before 9.30 or we would be marked as absent, the register is checked daily by an authoritative figure [FRED] and if you fail to remember to sign in or sign in at all a number of times action would be taken and you will be disciplined. The way this applies to the theory of panopticism is that it is a way of this authoritative figure constantly keeping an eye on you, therefore you act in a way as if you was constantly being watched by this authorative figure, coming in on time and signing in. The sign up sheet works however because without this sheet I probably wouldn’t bother turning up to uni until around at least 12 everyday, however with the sheet we act as docile bodies and self regulate to the correct behaviour that is signing in everyday even if we do not have to be in, because we feel like that is what they want us to do.