A Panopticon Society

Gone are the days of public display executions where witches, criminals, or accused heretics are burned at the stake, beheaded, or crucified. Those were the most effective form of punishing deviants, and at the same time disciplining onlookers. However, the morbid nature of the method was questioned by emerging humanitarian efforts, and so abusive panopticons, such as the Roman gladiator arenas for one, were eventually put to an end. And yet, panopticism is still at work and we even don't notice it, - only feel its constraining power. In Michel Foucault's philosophical viewpoint, the same concept of social surveillance system remains existent in this modern day society. In fact, today's society is even more panoptic than ever.

The awareness that a Panopticon mechanism is at work in all aspects of society only started in the advent of Foucault's Discipline and Punishment. Here, Foucault takes Bentham's original "Panopticon" design of prison cells (pan- meaning "prisoners" and -opticon "to observe") wherein prisoners are observed with or without their knowledge. (Panopticon para.1). Foucault then explains how this modern visible prison model replaced the dark dungeons of the ancient times because of the effective concept that "visibility is a trap." Accordingly, he points out that one of the essential characteristics of a panopticon is that it creates in the individual a sense that an observer is always present to lookout against objectionable behavior. Foucault goes on to say that this idea of a "controlling system of power" is effectively adapted in this modern era in almost all aspect of our everyday lives. In a panopticon setting, each of us feels that we are un-obviously observed at any time or at all times by controlling institutions of power (Discipline and Punish para.2) - whether we be in government properties as the city hall, total establishments as the military, public settings as malls, or even within family home boundaries or the virtual reality!

That is what makes the panopticon a special mechanism of power. Like it or not, we are all but subjects to observation, at times even to the point of breaching personal privacy. However, it is at a cost for a general benefit. Let us just say that in the great sea of faces scanned by a surveillance camera system at a bank or the security checkpoint at the airport, authorities are given the opportunity of effectively exercising their power by being able to detect, filter out, and infiltrate the activity of dangerous law offenders.

More importantly though, the power of the panopticon lies in that it suppresses the idea of doing a malevolent behavior in all people even before it gets the chance to be actualized. In other words, an "all-seeing" society puts us all in a vulnerable situation where we always feel fear of being caught should we do a disagreeable conduct. One good example is the supermarket.

Most huge supermarkets are set up in such a way that most shopping activities are directed at the center of the supermarket. Shelves are aligned orderly in between aisles at the center not only for the purpose of - making shopping a convenience. The panoptic setup of huge supermarkets is also for the reason that it makes the observance of the conduct of all shoppers a convenience. This way, shoppers are seen from all sides. In fact, most of the supermarket crews, if not arranging new stocks on the shelves, are stationed on the sides and corners of the supermarket, overlooking all visible shopping activities at the center aisles. This is also the same explanation that most successful supermarket businessmen would give when asked why they put up high ceilings and mirrors above and around the interiors of their supermarkets. It gives the effect of an observing "eye."

Also, notice that the cashier stations are also facing the center of the supermarket and not the doors or one side of the wall. Neither are the cashier stations situated at the center of the big supermarket. This is one important factor that distinguishes big supermarkets from small convenience stores that are more susceptible to theft attacks.

Most small convenience marts have their cashier/management counters at the center of the store and with the shelved shopping items propped up against the wall surrounding the payment counter (rather than on the center). This accounts for the small store space - but not against robbery. Note that most reports reveal that attacks come from the back of the store personnel at the central counter. The common modus operandi is that the gang, posing as shoppers, surrounds the victim and then attacks. - The setup of the store makes it easy for them. This very rarely happens in big supermarkets wherein all shoppers are the ones surrounded and are observed at the center, or given the impression of being observed, in all of their (shopping) activities. Although big supermarkets mean bigger cash machines, and though it seems more vulnerable, being apt to be out-of-control when attacked due to too many panicked shoppers, it is the panopticon design of the big supermarkets that makes it impervious. - All through its overwhelming power to exert a psychological threat against the evil plot of offenders, that is, before or if, they are even able to think and plan about it in the first place. A panopticon supermarket could even have hidden cameras (that are un-hidden intentionally or unintentionally), and whether it is working or not, it creates in the mind of the shoppers of all kinds - a sense that they are being watched - all the time.

And the panopticon principle appears just about everywhere in our everyday life. No matter who we are. Even government controversies and celebrity scandals are exposed by a checking panoptic society. No matter where we go we find a powerful panopticon at work - be it in a total military institution, factory or office-cubicle, the university, at a central park, even at the center of our homes in the living room watching TV - we could find our conducts being checked. Surveillance cameras or candid cameras, paparazzi, PVR's, the media, or the FBI or just the avid equipped blogger. - In a panopticon setting, each of us feels that we are observed at any time or at all times. It puts us all in a vulnerable situation where we always feel the fear of being caught, or the just anxious awareness of being observed.

A panopticon society observes, or gives the impression of observing - us - in all of our activities. It is a concealed, yet powerful form of social control. You just don't know when you might get caught.

On the other hand, we all are watching each other's backs.

Bibliography

Panopticon. 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Retrieved March 12, 2007 from

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon>

Discipline and Punish. 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Retrieved March 12, 2007 from

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Foucault#Discipline_and_Punish>

Foucault, Michel. "Discipline & Punish: The Birth of the Prison." 1977. NY: Random House.

Ways of Reading, 7^th Ed. Bartholomae and Petrosky. St Martin's Press. pp.219-254.