Foucault reminds us that modern society and the foundations upon which it bases its maintenance is observation. This is carried out by the use of "hierarchical observation, normalizing judgement and their combination in a procedure that is specific to it, the examination(170)." As a student, I cannot, of course, forget that my abilities as a citizen are impacted by my ability to determine my own place in this process. I am examined continually by myself and others. Especially those who are waiting for me to leave the institution or by those who will assume a measure of control after I move to another area of normality.
The efforts I establish on behalf of my ability to adapt to being an observer and a follower of the discipline founded on the values of the past are a part of my life at Cal. This academic life is subsumed by moments in time, those decisive moments which may change said life in respect to the requirements placed. My student life is narrowed into a corner which has been inhabited before by other people. This shows that such behavior, where being placed into a corner is supposed to lead to reward, is a created by a decision to enable . It is created by my own willingness to subject myself to its limitations and to the exercise of discipline. This "normality" of behavior is both rewarding and threatening, yet holds a lot of potential for intellectual illumination. I think it is essential to understand that the contact with other students is a lot more valuable outside of these limitations. The critical power of recognition and dialogue does not threaten but instead enhances the potential of such distinct, disciplined systems to create social, moral and intellectual realms. Such realms exist in the mind. This bodes well for anyone willing to break down such simple boundaries, to challenge their "normality".
Wonderful post Alex. I wonder what Foucault would say about the "decision to enable" discipline. Is this a form of a liberal agency and/or is the decision already constituted by a narrow band of possibilities for which a few available corners appear to be "decisions"? Some sociologists read the Foucault in Discipline and Punish as a dark pessimist, who gives no indication of a way out, but there is an element of Foucault that takes agency/resistance (I am conflating the two here) into account. We would have to read other texts (e.g. The Care of the Self and the College de France lectures) to really jump into this inquiry. Let me know if over the summer break, you might want to read some of these texts since they are on my summer reading and I might need a study buddy.
ReplyDeleteYou mention toward the end of the post that there are spaces outside of discipline that harbor the potential for illumination. Reflecting on your Cal years, where are these spaces, more concretely?
Finally, your post makes me think of graduation a little differently. It could be that graduation is not only a time when students are rewarded for a track record of discipline, but can also be understood as a moment of intense panopticism. Of course, it's also an opportunity for closure and celebration. Thanks for the excellent post Alex.