GM, Foucault

“Our society is one not of spectacle, but of surveillance”. (Foucault 101)

I love this quote. It’s true, it’s funny, and it’s very sad. And, it’s “on-point” now more than ever. However, it (surveillance) involves much more than being watched. It also involves our thought processes, what we say, what we think. We are now under constant surveillance by the “Thought Police” as well.
The “Thought Police” are everywhere, from the poet, Maya Angelou, who spoke at Rollins most past recent colloquy, chastising writers for using certain, “unacceptable” language, in her view, language which is now deemed inappropriate, to being afraid of entering onto certain websites for fear of wondering who is watching. The “Thought Police” are now part of our everyday culture. Political correctness has gone awry.
The last time I was in London, I had the opportunity to be in Piccadilly Circus at 11:00pm on St. Patty’s Day. It was a beautiful Saturday evening. Since then, I’ve read somewhere that London is one of the worlds most surveiled cities, that when out in the public while in London, chances are that you are being watched. It’s a fact of life there. This brings me to another Foucault quote that I like and think very appropriate here.
We are neither in the amphitheatre, nor on the stage, but in the panoptic machine, invested by its effects of power, which we bring to ourselves since we are part of its mechanism. (Foucault 101)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Excuse me, while in Piccadilly Circus (Soho) that night, I’ve never seen such a rowdy pack of chalky, drunk Brits in my life, me included. It was an “all-new” low. I’m so ashamed—just kidding—maybe. But I’m telling you right now, if those Brits were filming me that night, I’m sure they had to use an extra-wide lens. Cheers.