Foucault's Panopticism

In Michel Foucault’s piece, “Panopticism”, Foucault states the panoptic structure either does or does not exist in a given environment. Foucault states how Panopticism “…is polyvalent in its applications; it serves to reform prisoners, but also to treat patients, to instruct schoolchildren, to confine the insane, to supervise workers, to put beggars and idlers to work” (Foucault 191) In each of Foucault’s examples, Panopticism exists in not only different forms, but in these different forms are varying intensities of Panopticism. The intensity of Panopticism can be controlled to have certain effects on the productivity in different environments. One of Freire’s main focuses in the “Banking Concept of Education” is that humans are unable to

One instance she tells readers is when her son began attending a new school and what he personally thought about it. “’Well,’ he said, ‘they are a lot nicer, and they have a lot less rules” (Pratt 326) Her son claims they are nicer “...’So you’ll obey all the rules they don’t have,’” (Pratt 326) This is an interesting addition from her son, since he reaffirms the fact that Panopticism’s intensity can be reduced by permitting more freedoms to students. The reason however why Panopticism is still functioning is that abuse of these freedoms can reinitialize additional rules that would be unfavorable, which is the discipline that keeps the Panoptic structure working. Pratts solution of contact zones function because of Panopticism’s disciplinary structures. If two persons each discussed individual viewpoints on a topic, they overtime will pick and tell what they agree with about each other’s viewpoints, until one optimal view results from communication. Panopticism keeps the persons from pushing ideas onto their communities and other communities because of the resulting backlash that can occur, as well as the lack of productivity that would result. It is witnessed once again that students can be permitted to communicate with each other, which results in the a less intense panoptic structure, and students will still regulate themselves for fear of the removal of their given freedom. This

In some examples Foucault presents his readers with, communication is not an option in Panopticism as it can interfere with the objectives trying to be accomplished. The examples are also seen as the most ideal form of which Panopticism is in. This is impossible however, as when in some cases communication is introduced the Panoptic structure still exists but at a less restrictive and intense level. It permits its subjects with more freedom, and also can significantly increase the subject’s productivity in the scenario. Panopticism can still exists with the introduction of additional freedoms, because subjects will not take advantage of their newfound privileges for fear that they can be removed, as well as it would not be a productive use of the subject’s time. Nature strives towards optimization and balance, as witnessed within each of the science fields. So why should the panoptic structure be over restrictive and refuse to evolve for the benefit of