The Modern Equivalent of the Panopticon - Essay Example

The modern equivalent of the Panopticon Panopticon is a social theory that employs the use of external surveillance to control human behavior. The proposal came as a model prison by the famous Jeremy Bentham in 1748 and 1832 (Vetter 33). The panopticon, whose tag name was all seeing, functioned as an all day surveillance gadget. In the legal chambers and the areas it applied, especially in prisons, it meant that no prisoner could ever detect or see the inspector, who performed the surveillance specifically form a central location. This type of control mechanism could only operate effectively if set within a radial configuration (Vetter 64). The basis of panocticon was to control the behavior and mental proposition of the prisoners. This proved to be a crucial instrument of discipline as it worked it maintaining almost near perfect behavior upon the prisoner. It also brought the feel of the unseen security, where everyone knew he risked being caught in wrong. In today’s world, panocticon has seen its essence still remain relevant despite the modification it has evolved into being (Vetter 90). The advancements in technology has today come as the modern today panocticon. Technology, just as other innovation and researches that came for the benefit humanity but seriously turned ruinous, has a far way to apply extensively in control of human nature and his maneuvers. Unlike panopticon, which would work in control of the specified location, technology has its effectiveness even to village level (Vetter 69). For example, one would wonder the how machines like cell phones, computers, ipods, trackers, and CCTV cameras can control human movement. Just like the French philosopher, Michel Foucult described the implications of aim of using Panopticism as intent to instill discipline and morality among the inmates, technology innovation have taken the world by surprise through the supernatural things they can perform. First, internet and social networks via cables have for real exercised a homogenous effect of power. Who could have thought that a social site, which was innovated to make easy the work of humanity, could as well translate elsewhere any mischievous type made? It is everyone’s common knowledge today, in a world filled with extremists and evil thoughts that whatever one does to endanger or flier inciting information, that one stands under scrutiny. Technology has brought what Michel considers as affected consciousness. Like Panopticon, internet cables effect are simple but create a constant sense or awareness of being under surveillance. Having created the mental inclination of visibility and internet devolving even to the village level has brought the world in the thesis of Panopticism. As Michel put it out, the object under surveillance in Panopticism remains always to be the subject of information and never will it grow to be the object of communication (Vetter 164). Thus, technology through internet has developed an anonymous power, which to some extent does not need to control by someone but information can well be assembled and accessed from one point. As panopticon was the central zone in a watchtower that gave information and behavior of the human under control, the world today lives in similar condition (Vetter 80). For example, in my area of locality, if my access to face book or twitter amount to an incitement and jeopardize the security of my country, then without location of my immediate context, the cables and networks would locate my position. My instinct would definitely restrain my conscious form doing such a thing, because it obvious that the information is traced somewhere else. This control of power covertly is what Michel Foucault conceptualized all long. The world population us been put under surveillance and this amounts to almost a total control of its behavior just like the panoptic design. As equaling to the inmates in Michel situation, the danger of plot stand minimized, the planning of new crimes are tamed as well as bad reciprocal influences (Vetter 49). It is justifiable thus, that panoptic design has individualized the diverse human behavior (Vetter 93). As an institution, the world’s surveillance is not a subject of bother. The cable has helped keep and track every insensitive aspect under visibility; this has improved its operational efficiency. To those who love the world and are pursuant of serenity place for human kind, technology has guaranteed the function of power. This has even come so easily to an extent that it operates even when there is no one specifically asserting it. Just like panopticon, technology innovation function automatically in penetration of men’s behavior all over the world. For example, the mechanism of ordering and controlling human population is practicable through subtle and often unseen forces. What breeds to this are the technological breakthroughs in the field of science (Vetter 60). This has become an apparent ordering; starting with the modernized part of the world and it will defiantly trickle worldwide. The controlled population has subdued to the power willed by technology, and now increasingly digitalized world. In fact, contemporary advancements in technology and innovations on surveillance methodologies have made Foucault’s theories more relatable. They are more pertinent to any scrutiny of the relationship between a nation and its population (Vetter 55). One would notably relate the panoptic application of today’s technology to Bethman’s scheme. According to Bethman, he stood by the principle that power should be visible but covertly unverifiable. The point of visibility applies to today’s situation where everyone has access to technology and will always have its full capacity. On the other hand, its remains not obvious to everyone the power bestowed in it, that how unverifiable it should be so that its objects would forever be source of information. The concept of seen without ever seeing, wielding control on human behavior. This is how technology design has borrowed panoptic thesis (Vetter 71). In addition, the innovative assembling of CCTV or other surveillance cameras continues to show effectiveness of panoptic mechanism in mostly the liberal democracies of the world. In their original substance, these technological advances are not that important since human era is not self-governed (Vetter 173). Even with the human self-pinpointed governance structures, the technological breakthrough have still came as the most effective mechanism that eases the operations of human behavior. For instance, it is obvious that every CBD of this world in most countries runs under unrestricted CCTV watch. The human traffic remains well controlled and any movement put under uninterrupted watch. For example, the latest bombing of athletes in U.S.A by unknown extremist only came under recognition through the released FBI CCTV footage. Though it remains under investigation, it proves to the world that even at the rarest places where one cannot suspect surveillance, for real it is there. This is Michel conception. In his proposition, Michel’s opinion of Panopticism is one of having internal surveillance. In this, the onlooker is no more external upon the one under surveillance (Vetter 142). At the end of it, each person instincts have this awareness and the individuals become their own guards (Vetter 92). Having napped many ill-motives movements and activities through CTV in USA soil, the human traffic definitely has developed into self-guarding since every action is subject to scrutiny. The purpose of Michel’s Panopticism design was to control the behavior of prisoners and inject a feel of self-conscious control mechanism. The world’s evil and human actions as well as duties in an institution fall under CCTV monitoring. Consider a situation where workers in a sales company get evaluated and paid according to how the CCTV camera informed of them. In such operations, where someone’s conversation with customers go through capturing, and where one gets a summon or receive a pay cut for having reported late or lazed around. Through the internet and internet protocols, the message left has a digital footprint that are traceable, recovered, dated and timed as well as authenticated (Vetter 83). It is this capability, or the threat of using such kind of capability by those seated in position of power, overly measure day-to-day characteristics of Panopticon. Just like the era of the plague-controlled town in seventeenth century in Foucault’s explanations, the act of individualized, enclosed, and under surveillance protocols in today’s CCTV cameras (Vetter 101). Controlling humanity by letting them know that they face monitoring really changes their behavior. This is actually what Michel refers to as homogeneous control of humanity and its motives, the panopticon way. In addition, imagining how the car-trackers work and locate the criminal or a friend tracker and locate someone without their consent represents the overall idea of Bethman idea of Panopticon (Vetter 75). This creates a real subjection from a fictitious relation. In other words, in the world where technology gives new realms of innovation, it is thus not necessary, to use force to bring or constrain a person to good behavior. The technology use in panoptic manner is such unparalleled and effective. Just like in the cells where the panoptic approach dealt away with chains, bars, heavy metals and locks for prisoners, the same way technological surveillance today has lifted the burden of constant human check and brought in the sense of self-corrective and opinioned approach to many aspects of life. The simple, economic innovations have resulted into the world being a house of certainty. This is the Panopticon perspective. In a great deal, the flawlessness and its constraining force have shifted to the other side, to the side of surface application (Vetter 44). This is true because, whoever falls to subjection in the arena of visibility, and he knows it, obviously assumes into him responsibility towards the constraints of power available. Technology today has played the place of Panopticon so well. Its motives makes the individual play spontaneously upon him, everyone on alert inscribes in himself the power of relation and becomes the principle of his own subjection. Technology is none-corporal. The more it has use in this Panopticon way the more constant, and profound and permanent its motives become. Thus, it ends up being a perpetual victory that eliminates physical confrontation and decides in advance, the Panoptican way (Vetter 24). Work cited Vetter, Grant. The Architecture of Control: A Contribution to the Critique of the Science of Apparatuses. Ropley: Zero, 2012. Print. Read More