I have decided to create my publication around an extensive and more in depth extension of what my Essay was exploring_ How design is an extension of Panopticism in contemporary society. After extensive self organised crits, i decided that simply generating an extension of my essay would not be effective i would need to communicate the content in a much more effective striking method.
The content will be based around the key areas of my essay:
Introduction to Panopticism_
The Panopticon_
Panoptic Institution_
Panoptic Control_ Traffic as a plague
Panoptic Society_ Layout and Retail
Panoptic Control_ Way finding
Big Brother_
In depth Research: Panoptic Control
What is Panopticism_
Panopticism in Foucault's Discipline and Punish [edit]
In Discipline and Punish, Michel Foucault builds on Jeremy Bentham's conceptualization of a panopticon as he elaborates upon the function of disciplinary mechanisms in the prison and illustrates the function of discipline as an apparatus of power. The "panoptic" style of architecture may be used in other institutions with surveillance needs, such as schools, factories, or hospitals. The ever-visible inmate, Foucault suggests, is always "the object of information, never a subject in communication". He adds that,
"He who is subjected to a field of visibility, and who knows it, assumes responsibility for the constraints of power; he makes them play spontaneously upon himself; he inscribes in himself the power relation in which he simultaneously plays both roles; he becomes the principle of his own subjection" (202-203).
Foucault offers still another explanation for the type of "anonymous power" held by the operator of the central tower, suggesting that, "We have seen that anyone may come and exercise in the central tower the functions of surveillance, and that this being the case, he can gain a clear idea of the way the surveillance is practiced". By including the anonymous "public servant," as part of the built-in "architecture" of surveillance, the disciplinary mechanism of observation is decentered and its efficacy improved.
As hinted at by the architecture, this panoptic design can be used for any "population" that needs to be kept under observation or control, such as: prisoners, schoolchildren, medical patients, or workers:
"If the inmates are convicts, there is no danger of a plot, an attempt at collective escape, the planning of new crimes for the future, bad reciprocal influences; if they are patients, there is no danger of contagion; if they are madmen there is no risk of their committing violence upon one another; if they are schoolchildren, there is no copying, no noise, no chatter, no waste of time; if they are workers, there are no disorders, no theft, no coalitions, none of those distractions that slow down the rate of work, make it less perfect or cause accidents".
By individualizing the subjects and placing them in a state of constant visibility, the efficiency of the institution is maximized. Furthermore, it guarantees the function of power, even when there is no one actually asserting it. It is in this respect that the Panopticon functions automatically. Foucault goes on to explain that this design is also applicable for a laboratory. Its mechanisms of individualization and observation give it the capacity to run many experiments simultaneously. These qualities also give an authoritative figure the "ability to penetrate men’s behavior" without difficulty.[1] This is all made possible through the ingenuity of the geometric architecture. In light of this fact Foucault compares jails, schools, and factories in their structural similarities.
The Panopticon_
The Panopticon is a type of institutional building designed by English philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham in the late 18th century. The concept of the design is to allow a watchman to observe (-opticon) all (pan-) inmates of an institution without them being able to tell whether or not they are being watched.
The design consists of a circular structure with an “inspection house” at its centre, from which the managers or staff of the institution are able to watch the inmates, who are stationed around the perimeter. Bentham conceived the basic plan as being equally applicable to hospitals, schools, sanatoriums, daycares, and asylums, but he devoted most of his efforts to developing a design for a Panopticon prison, and it is his prison which is most widely understood by the term.
Bentham himself described the Panopticon as “a new mode of obtaining power of mind over mind, in a quantity hitherto without example.” Elsewhere, he described the Panopticon prison as “a mill for grinding rogues honest”.
Panoptic Institution_
A]ny panoptic institution, even if it is as rigorously closed as a penitentiary, may without difficulty be subjected to such irregular and constant inspections: and not only by the appointed inspectors, but also by the public; any member of society will have the right to come and see with his own eyes how the schools, hospitals, factories, prisons function. There is no risk, therefore, that the increase of power created by the panoptic machine may degenerate into tyranny; the disciplinary mechanism will be democratically controlled, since it will be constantly accessible ‘to the great tribunal committee of the world’. This Panopticon, subtly arranged so that an observer may observe, at a glance, so many different individuals, also enables everyone to come and observe any of the observers. The seeing machine was once a sort of dark room into which individuals spied; it has become a transparent building in which the exercise of power may be supervised by society as a whole …
‘Discipline’ may be identified neither with an institution nor with an apparatus; it is a type of power, a modality for its exercise, comprising a whole set of instruments, techniques, procedures, levels of application, targets; it is a ‘physics’ or an ‘anatomy’ of power, a technology. And it may be taken over either by ‘specialized’ institutions (the penitentiaries or ‘houses of correction’ of the nineteenth century), or by institutions that use it as an essential instrument for a particular end (schools, hospitals), or by pre-existing authorities that find in it a means of reinforcing or reorganizing their internal mechanisms of power (one day we should show how intra-familial relations, essentially in the parents-children cell, have become ‘disciplined’, absorbing since the classical age external schemata, first educational and military, then medical, psychiatric, psychological, which have made the family the privileged locus of emergence for the disciplinary question of the normal and the abnormal); or by apparatuses that have made discipline their principle of internal functioning (the disciplinarization of the administrative apparatus from the Napoleonic period), or finally by state apparatuses whose major, if not exclusive, function is to assure that discipline reigns over society as a whole (the police).
… But the peculiarity of the disciplines is that they try to define in relation to the multiplicities a tactics of power that fulfils three criteria: firstly, to obtain the exercise of power at the lowest possible cost (economically, by the low expenditure it involves; politically, by its discretion, its low exteriorization, its relative invisibility, the little resistance it arouses); secondly, to bring the effects of this social power to their maximum intensity and to extend them as far as possible, without either failure or interval; thirdly, to link this ‘economic’ growth of power with the output of the apparatuses (educational, military, industrial or medical) within which it is exercised; in short, to increase both the docility and the utility of all the elements of the system.
Panoptic Control_ Traffic as a plague
Traffic Surveillance: An Arm Of The Modern Panopticon
Michel Foucault is, if anything, the master of lifting the veil to expose the inner workings of “the machine,” which is exactly the goal of Discipline and Punish, a series of essays dealing with different aspects of the effects and methods of disciplinary action. At its core, the essays deal with a power struggle between those being controlled and those doing the controlling. He presents various examples of control as they have been implemented in a wide range of institutions, with each step proving the words of Nietzsche more: “a living thing seeks above all to discharge its strength - life itself is will to power” (Nietzsche 211).
The aspect of this power struggle hit on in the essays The Means of Correct Training and Panopticism deal, as previously stated, with the notion of discipline, control and punishment, delicately put by Foucault: “training.” The examples that Foucault gives while backing up his theory are that of a prison, hospital, school building, etc. but the striking thing about it is that the things he says can be applied to just about every facet of life. Foucault quotes the works of Nietzche quite often and even said “I am a Nietzschian” (Fox 169) so Nietzsche’s words about the very essence of life itself being the will to power begin to resonate with the theories of Foucault to give them a sort of timeless and trans-genre applicability. In this essay, I will be explaining the ideas of Foucault and others relating to means of control and simultaneously expanding their relevance to uncover the hidden rhetoric of traffic control.
In Redbank, TN, the Mayor is attempting to negotiate the ending of a 12-year contract with American Traffic Solutions, who provides the city with three sets of cameras and a mobile speed van for the issuing of traffic violations. The breaking of the contract and removal of the equipment could set the city back “six figures,” according to the Times Free Press (Carroll). The event is shrouded in a good bit of legal secrecy, although citizens have chimed in resoundingly with what may be the problem: that the traffic cameras that have been in place for several years have effectively run the city into the ground, closing businesses and literally keeping people away. "They wouldn't come through Red Bank because they are afraid of getting a ticket" says a local business owner about the decline of business coming through the city (Wright). The utility of such a system of monitoring goes without much need of explanation: it exists in its most basic form to capture images of people breaking a law of the road, to identify them, and then to discipline them in the appropriate manner (which, in this case, is a rather hefty fine, depending on where the offense takes place). By itself, this is not a bad concept - it keeps the physical presence of law enforcement personnel off of the streets so that they can be concentrated towards something more important than the passive notion of catching people running red lights. However, the direction that red light monitoring and other systems of monitoring like it have gone are almost on the opposite end of the spectrum.
“Discipline ‘makes’ individuals,” says Foucault in The Means of Correct Training. “It is the specific technique of a power that regards individuals both as objects and as instruments of its exercise” (Means of Correct Training 188). Now, it is fair to say that the consequences of running a red light, getting a photo snapped by an automated camera, and being fined for it is discipline, as it lines up with the most basic definition of “discipline,” being: “punishment,” according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. It also calls discipline “control gained by enforcing obedience or order” (“Discipline” 1, 5a). This is an interesting juxtaposition, consistent with the idea put forth by Foucault, placing the emphasis on enforcement of a superior code or will on the action of a subordinate. This dichotomy is present in the very nature of the word, because in order for these two wills to be out of line two things have to happen: there first of all have to be two separate wills, and secondly (and most importantly) one of the wills has to be in a position of superiority over the other. For the sake of this essay, we will focus primarily on the lesser of the wills, the people upon whom these laws are implemented.
Foucault describes several settings in which a system like the traffic camera is used, but we will just use one example to illustrate the point: the example of the Asylum. The point of constructing the Asylum like it is, Foucault says, is to optimize the availability for observation: “The exercise of discipline presupposes a mechanism that coerces by means of observation; an apparatus in which the techniques that make it possible to see induce effects of power and in which, conversely, the means of coercioin make those on whom they are applied clearly visible” (Means 189). The driving force of the power of the constant awareness of being observed is that those being observed will internalize the gaze coming from the superiors, making the means of coercion not explicit in the form of chains or beatings but implicit in that they govern themselves as one under a microscope. The building itself was constructed so that visibility at all times could be optimized, in what he refers to as “Hierarchal Observation.” “By means of such surveillance, disciplinary power became an ‘integrated’ system, linked from the inside to the economy and to the aims of the mechanism in which it was practiced,” driving home the point that the system depended entirely upon the act of surveillance or, as we will discover, the threat of surveillance (Means 192).
While “the perfect disciplinary apparatus would make it possible for a single gaze to see everything constantly,” this is not possible, except in the most rare of structures (Means 191). Applying this sort of surveillance would never have been possible outside of an isolated situation in a particular structure, like the theoretical facility designed by Jeremy Bentham called the “Panopticon,” which he expressed in several letters in 1787. It is easy to see where Foucault got his inspiration for expanding this theory, because he and Bentham share the idea that “Ideal perfection,” he writes, “would require that each person should actually be in that predicament [constant surveillance], during every instant of time.” But he isn’t done: the next most important thing that can happen is “at every instant, seeing reason to believe as much, and not being able to satisfy himself to the contrary, he should conceive himself to be so” (Bentham Letter 1). The purpose of this structure’s design, he would go on to explain, is that the prisoner would never know exactly when he is being observed because, by a system of light and blinds he would not be able to see into the watchtower which could see him. In fact, the mere presence of the watchtower would eventually come to take the place of a guard in the watchtower, because the prisoners kept around it would all think that there was a guard in the tower and that he was being watched by this guard. The watchtower itself, with little actual power but magnificent symbolic power, could govern.
Throughout my publication i have looked at how panopticism is applied within contemporary society some of the most interesting subjects that i came across where how panopticism is applied to road networks this is a major sign of how society is controlled and appears to me that it is mainly to make the whole network work efficiently and keep the public safe however i have also found that panopticism is very manipulative and has been applied to retail this is to manipulate the public for their own benefit to sell product.
Way finding Systems
Wayfinding encompasses all of the ways in which people and animals orient themselves in physical space and navigate from place to place.
What Makes A Good Wayfinding System?
The concept of wayfinding is an important part of any well designed environment. When visiting a strange new place, viewers need to be able to find their way to their destination. A good wayfinding system will allow them to reach their destination easily, quickly and (hopefully) with as few headaches as possible. So what things make a wayfinding system successful?
Easily Navigable
Obviously the most important aspect of any good wayfinding system is that it needs get the viewer where they want to go. It needs to have clear navigation paths with well defined routes that make it easy for viewers to move from their current location to their destination. Clear identification, directional, orientation and necessary regulatory information should also be provided. Decision points should be clearly indicated and marked in advance. Once a viewer reaches a key decision point, help should be available to provide directional choices and point the viewer where they need to go.
Consistent Design
While good design is important, it should be secondary and enforce or enrich the message or information provided. Navigating a strange place is difficult enough without having to process a different design at each point along the way. A consistent, recognizable design across all elements of a wayfinding system will reassure and relax the viewer, allowing them to focus on the information. A good system will use the same typefaces throughout, a similar family of icons and consistent color hierarchy or design elements. It goes back to the old adage — good design is invisible.
Clear Organization & Designation
Whether in a museum exhibit or an urban environment, places, information and locations should be organized into distinct areas or districts. Each area should have a unique design or theme different from all the rest. Subdivided areas break down a larger environment into more digestible chunks. They also help the viewer know their current location, and provide clues of what to look for when seeking a destination.
Information is Understandable, Legible and Well Designed
Good information design is crucial to a successful wayfinding system. Navigational or informative content should be presented in a legible typeface with good contrast that can be seen at various sizes and distances. Typography should have a clear hierarchy, highlighting the most important information. The language and tone should be easy to understand. Well designed content will help the viewer retain information or easily find their destination, while poorly designed information will only confuse and frustrate them.
Ease of Orientation
A successful wayfinding system should provide visual clues to the viewer to help them orient themselves in their current location. Each area or location should be uniquely designed (going back to clear organization and designation) and help the visitor identify where they are currently and which direction they face. Memorable landmarks or waypoints help visitors identify where they are in relation to an environment, and clearly marked destinations help them see where they are going.
Visible and Recognizable
Good design may be invisible, but elements of a wayfinding system should not be. Signs, directories and stations should stand out and be easily seen from any distance or angle. Signs and directionals should have good placement — vehicular signage should be visible from a distance while in a vehicle, pedestrian signage should be within eye level while walking. They should also be placed along clear sightlines, placed where visitors need to find them, to avoid getting lost in the clutter. Decision points and destinations should be clearly indicated in advance to avoid getting a visitor lost.
Functional, Interesting and Accessible to All Audiences
Other forms of design or communications may have a target audience they are tailored to, but wayfinding design should be functional to a wide and varied audience. Wayfinding elements should be usable by anyone, being functional and offering something interesting to people of all ages. Information should be provided to a quick glance or a prolonged study. Accessibility is also an important concern. Wayfinding systems should be usable and accessible to people with disabilities as well, accounting for deafness, blindness or color blindness, wheelchair access or otherwise.
Simple and Concise
The best wayfinding systems are simple, telling a visitor what they need to know in as little language as possible. Necessary information should be brief, allowing a visitor to find their destination while in a hurry or in the flow of traffic. Clear, simple but limited navigation choices should be provided so as to direct the visitor without overwhelming them.
Provide a Map or Directory
There are many ways to provide a visitor with a bird’s eye view of an environment. Map stations or directories can be placed sporadically (and clearly marked) in malls, museums or public transit systems. Printed maps are helpful for visitors to study in advance and are frequently used in travel guides, theme parks or national parks. There are also digital maps, provided on websites, at interactive map stations or through new smartphone applications. Maps provide an extra method of orientation to visitors, allowing them to see the organization of the entire area and know what waypoints or landmarks to look for.
Solid Research and Strategic Foundation
Perhaps the most important aspect of any good wayfinding system is that it should be based on sound research and strategy. Haphazardly placed signage can be extremely confusing and frustrating, often times even contradictory. Instead of reactionary response or dealing with individual signs, a larger strategy and wayfinding plan should be used, outlining entry and exit points, destinations, decision points and clear visitor paths. In his book The Wayfinding Handbook, David Gibson outlines four wayfinding strategies based on historical city models — the use of districts, streets, connectors or landmarks. Whatever strategy is used, it should fit the environment, be functional and backed by plenty of research.
Wayfinding systems that consider these aspects will be well on their way to moving visitors quickly and efficiently to their destinations. Visitors that find their way easily will find the journey much more enjoyable and have a greater chance of visiting the city, museum or using the transit system more frequently.
Big Brother_
Big Brother
The most common sense of Orwellian is that of the all-controlling "Big Brother" state, used to negatively describe a situation in which a Big Brother authority figure — in concert with "thought police" — constantly monitors the population to detect betrayal via "improper" thoughts. Orwellian also describes oppressive political ideas and the use of euphemistic political language in public discourse to camouflage morally outrageous ideas and actions. In this latter sense, the term is often used as a means of attacking an opponent in political debate, by branding his or her policies as Orwellian. When used like this in political rhetoric if it is not sincere, it is interesting to note as it can be a case of a hypocritical Orwellian strategist denouncing Orwellian strategies.
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