Last week, we began our discussion on theorist Michel Foucault. “Everyone locked up in his cage, everyone at his window, answering to his name and showing himself when asked” (95). This quote explains Foucault’s idea of ‘punishment without violence.’ More specifically, in this quote he is referring to the Panopticon. In the Panopticon, there is a tower directly in the center of the prison. In the tower you are able to see everything and everyone, however, no one on the outside can see you. Although there could potentially be nobody in the tower, one is never able to know. This notion of surveillance is what keeps order in the prison. It is the potential punishment that one is meant to be scared of. Society has a way of branding and keeping track of our every move. In some ways, we are nothing more than a bar code. “Power should be visible and unverifiable” (98). Foucault discusses this notion of visibility. We are constantly being watched. The act of ‘profiling’ is a good example of this. In our society we are always being tested and judged because of our actions, appearances, etc. Today, profiling is used more than ever towards preventing terrorist attackers. Because of ideology, we tell ourselves that this act of profiling and screening is the right thing to do. As a result, everyone gets profiled. Foucault’s act of surveillance feeds into Zizek’s ‘culture of fear.’ Today we live in a world where we are constantly fearful. After the shock of 9/11, we were forced to realize that we are not invincible. By replaying videos of 9/11 and constantly talking about new encounters with terrorists on the news, media has instilled this continuous fear among society.
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