Introduction: The Panopticon is a conceptual prison created by Jeremy Bentham in 1785. The main idea of ​​this prison was that the guards would be able to view and monitor all the activities of prisoners from one location. Background: In this prison there was a tower in the center and the cells were built around it. From the tower the guards could see into every room and monitor their activity, but the inmates could not see inside the tower. The inmates were unable to see how many guards were in the tower and whether they were being watched. “Visible: the prisoner will constantly have before his eyes the tall outline of the central tower from which he is spied on. Unverifiable: the prisoner must never know if he is being observed at a given moment; but he must be sure that he will always be able to do so. (Foucault 201). With this in mind, prisoners are assumed to always be on best behavior because they could never be sure they were being watched. Thanks to this permanent visibility, prisoners would regulate their behavior, the physical presence of guards and the threat of actual punishment would become obsolete. As a result, power becomes more effective and economical. The number of prisoners that can be controlled may increase, while the number of guards needed to run the prison decreases. “The layout of his room, facing the central tower, imposes axial visibility on him; but ring divisions, those separate cells, imply lateral invisibility. And this invisibility is a guarantee of order. If the prisoners are convicted, there is no danger of conspiracy, of attempted collective escape, of planning new crimes for the future, of bad mutual influences...". With this type of complete isolation the prisoners would be under the absolute control of the guards. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayThesis Statement: In Foucault's book he uses the panopticon to describe how modern institutions and society at large use separation and the threat of surveillance to control its citizens. Evidence and quote: “In each of its applications, it allows us to perfect the exercise of power. It does this in several ways: because it can reduce the number of those who exercise it, while at the same time increasing the number of those on whom it is exercised. Because it is possible to intervene at any time and because constant pressure acts even before the wrongdoings, errors or crimes are committed. Because, in these conditions, its strength is that it never intervenes, it is exerted spontaneously and without noise, it constitutes a mechanism whose effects follow one another. Because, without any physical instrument other than architecture and geometry, it acts directly on individuals; it gives “power of the mind over the mind”. Comment: This is evident in the way most societies have always been structured. The “ruling” class is a small minority and someone convinces the rest of society to fall in line and live as they see fit. This does not happen through the threat of violence and constant monitoring. “The efficiency of power, its constrictive force have, in a certain sense, passed to the other side, to the side of its surface of application. Whoever is subjected to a field of visibility, and who knows it, assumes responsibility for the constraints of power; he makes them play spontaneously on himself; it inscribes within itself the power relationship in which it plays both roles simultaneously; becomes the principle of one's own subjection." Topic sentence: in our society obviously there is no tower that monitors our behavior, it does so through things likevisible cameras that can be found almost everywhere we go, monitoring and tracking people through their electronic devices and through online communication, such as email and social media. Try &quote: Essentially, the watchtower in the center of the panopticon is the ancestor of surveillance cameras that can be found in every form of public transportation and in every building. These cameras do not hide their existence, they are always visible. We are never sure if these cameras are turned on and if there is actually a person watching us. The presence of the camera alone, however, is enough to get most people to behave. I want to talk quickly about industrial and post-industrial societies. Topic sentence: In an industrial society the focus is on the production of goods. Evidence and quotes: Blue collar and manual jobs are the norm. Workers have practical knowledge, such as plumbing or welding, that can be translated directly into real-world work. There is no focus on being creative or thinking outside the box, and there is no reward for this ability. Everything is standard and regulated. Comment: There is a clear and visible distribution of power, who is in charge and what is expected. Workers work and managers supervise said work. Topic sentence: Fast forward to modern times, post-industrialism, and we have a very different society. There has been a shift from producing real physical goods to a company that primarily offers services. Evidence and Citations: There are more restaurants, agencies and the like, where the focus is more on theoretical knowledge. There is an emphasis on creativity and innovation, with greater demand for education and advanced degrees. Comment: With this comes a new set of ideals. The focus is on being ambitious, self-motivated, self-organised and teamwork. None of these were necessary or desired in an industrial society. Topic sentence: How does this new society relate to the panopticon? Comment: Well, this self-regulation is a hallmark of our modern society. It is now ingrained in us that we need to take control and that we now have power over our working lives. This power, however, is imaginary. Evidence and quotes: Just like prisoners, workers who work in the creative sector, for example, always have this subconscious feeling of being watched. In particular, creative agencies give the illusion that employees are free and independent, but this is not the case. With the addition of technology to the workplace, workers assume that computers have some sort of software installed that spies and monitors their activity. This is intended to prevent them from browsing the Internet and maintaining productivity. The employees aren't sure, but the assumption is there. Open offices are another form of this control. Employees are always on display, they have no personal space or privacy. They are not only visible to their bosses, but also to their colleagues. This type of atmosphere ensures that workers are always as productive as possible. Even something that should be ideal, like freelancing or having a home office, is still dominated by the threat of constant surveillance. Here the panopticon is less direct and visible. Even from the comfort of your own space, there is this feeling and pressure to always be as productive as possible. Productivity guilt is a real feeling that I often struggle with myself. Specifically in creative fields, this fast-paced work culture is idealized and promoted. When you're not working, drawing, designing, etc. there's this feeling of dread. This feeling you're.