Constantly Being Disciplined

'...but in the panoptic machine, invested by its effects of power, which we bring to ourselves since we are part of its mechanism."

This quote sums up the main idea of Foucault's article. As we walk through our daily lives it is sometimes hard to believe that we are constantly being watched. Even as I walk around campus, I don't see any cameras, but I know they are there. Not only do we have cameras on this campus, but there are also campus security and RA's walking through the dormitories to make sure no one needs to be disciplined.

In class, we talked about a new social code that will be implemented sometime next year. It will tell students to watch out for one another and to let someone in authority know if someone is acting in a 'bad' way. The quote above explains how even though we are not always watched, we still act as though we are. Kelsey gave a great example of the mirrors that are in Walgreens. We can't see to the other side, but because they are there, we would think twice before doing something like stealing.

In the show Gossip Girl, the main characters are always under surveillance because everyone has the power to capture the moment with their cell phone cameras. These days, everyone has the power. No longer is it a couple of people at the top, it includes everyone with the technology at their finger tips.