The Eye of Power

Foucault’s discussion on Bentham’s panopitcon is something that can easily be dismissed as a dated and paranoid. It can be unclear how this theory applies to the way in which we go about our daily lives.

Obviously the structure is an idealized theory, but if we analyze certain structures, we can see how the relationship between the prisoner and the watchman is something that we see re-occurring frequently. Think about the teacher proctoring an exam, or the CCTV at the convenience store- all instilling the fear of being caught, hoping that this will alter our behavior for the better.

The element of the ‘backlight’ is something I find most fascinating about Foucault’s analysis of the panopticon structure. It is so essential to the success of the structure because it makes the visibility of power much weaker. It seems contradictory but this actually enhances the watchmans ability to control because the prisoners are aware of an all-knowing power, without being able to see it.

We experience a similar exercise of power when we construct our online identity through social networking websites like facebook. We are aware that there are ‘powers that be’ observing our content, yet we cannot be sure exactly who they are, and when they are watching us. However; unlike the panopticon, where the prisoners are constantly aware that they are being watched – we have lost that personal sense of surveillance. I do not think that people who use these networks are particularly scared of being seen, but they adhere to a set of unofficial rules in order to keep their online image ‘appropriate’. For example, most university students who use this website are aware that they should set some degree of privacy settings on their account, that they should not have photos of themselves performing illicit activities or blatantly shit-talk someone who could see what they have posted. The backlight effect effectively engages a set of behavioral codes that people obey, without really knowing what or where the source of power comes from.