Do I need another reason to hate Michel Foucault?
Surprisingly, no, but I have a new reason to hate Michel Foucault anyway!
I'm currently in a Social Control class at school, and I feel like I'm trapped in circular referencing hell. We're discussing a chapter in Foucault's 'Discipline and Power,' entitled 'the means of correct training' and in the course of the discussion, I had a question about the concept of traditional power vs. disciplinary power in reference to Jeremy Bentham's concept of the Panopticon. I genuinely wanted to clarify whether the Panopticon is an example of traditional power running concurrently with disciplinary power because of the ever present threat of punishment from above, as well as the normalizing behaviour of self-discipline caused by omnipresent surveillance.
Just a simple question of clarification. And I was not only shut down, but then trapped in an answer that was so circular, I might as well have saved myself the trouble and just found a man-sized hamster wheel to amuse/torture myself instead. The short answer was No. Because the King is dead?
What? There was a king? Umm...metaphor for the state? What??? The state as the body that can formally punish doesn't matter? Warning! Warning! Mind Overloading! Alert! Alert!
Great!! So know I'm confused even more, and Foucault has made me look like a first-class bonehead to the prof...because I don't get the circular references.
Foucault sucks. :(
posted by Fancy C. Poitras @ 4:12 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
No. No one ever needs an additional reason for hating Foucault. Reading his alone is enough.
I'm *so* glad I do analytic and not continental philosophy. Sucks to be in poli sci!
omg, i didn't understand a word of your post.
I think I'll go write a post about plasmodium ovale now.
Yeah, and we are supposed to understand that?
Here's my interpretation..
"I'm currently trying to control Rodney socially at home, and I feel like I'm trapped in circular referencing hell. Our relationship is like a chapter in Foucault's 'Discipline and Power,' entitled 'the means of correct training' and in the course of whupping his ass, I was wondering about the concept of traditional power vs. disciplinary power in reference to Jeremy Bentham's concept of the Panopticon. I genuinely wanted to clarify to Rodney, that I, like the Panopticon, am an example of traditional power running concurrently with disciplinary power because of the ever present threat of no sex, as well as the normalizing behaviour of self-discipline caused by his resulting omnipresent masturbation."
Or something ;)
Ole, thank you in particular for your validation! I knew you'd understand my pain!
Jette, that's completely okay :) I don't think I've ever understood a word of what you do :D
Chris...chris, chris, chris. Buddy, I just don't know how to explain this to you...take what you know of Rod's and my relationship, and toss it out the window :) We've progressed in the past that time of dominance, into a partnership that works for us both. Rod is very much his own man with his own opinions (strong ones, even), and he does nothing just because I tell him to; if he doesn't want to, it won't happen.
So update to spare yourself the agony of me beating this information into you :p
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