I have a question that may betray my lack of understanding of Foucault, but here it is: he seems to be saying that the discipline that began to be imposed in prisons in the 1800s has caused us who are not incarcerated to also discipline ourselves in similar ways, and that this is "dangerous". My question is haven't we always had to discipline ourselves to do what we know to be beneficial, even when we don't want to do it? I am thinking of trivial things like brushing one's teeth or cleaning one's house. It could also include for many of us doing our jobs even though we don't enjoy them. My point is that the need for self-discipline seems to have been with us for a long time. Is Foucault saying that we have simply become more conscious of it, or perhaps that we are disciplining ourselves in areas where it's not even necessary (e.g. the intro scene in American Psycho), or what?
Thursday, May 15, 2008
The Origin of Discipline
In my reading of him I always get this ominous feeling like some terrible transition has occurred where we all now police ourselves somewhat unconsciously and that in the past the policing came from external sources. I guess I am just unsure about how much this has really changed or in what ways this has changed, and furthermore what I am supposed to make of it. Is Foucault merely documenting the change or does he want to incite some kind of feeling in us and possibly move us toward action? I am a bit perplexed.
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Here's one thought. Take something as trivial as tooth-brushing. While seemingly innocuous practices like these have seemingly long required something like discipline, Foucault wants us to note that people have not always brushed their teeth, and they have not always done so with the fastidiousness that we do now.
Teeth-brushing did not become a widespread practice until at least the 19th century. Before that, especially amongst the lower classes, people took care of their teeth differently. Or, in many cases, they did not really take care of them at all. Certainly there was nothing like a strict regimen of daily toothbrush, flossing, now whitening, and half-yearly visits to a dentist.
The ways in which people took care of their teeth was much less rigid, timed (morning and after meals), spatially defined (in the bathroom and not in public), etc.. It was probably much less efficient too. I'm sure there were more dental problems.
Interestingly, according to the wiki, William Addis got the idea for the first mass-produced toothbrush in the late 18c. while he was in prison for inciting a riot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toothbrush
And it's not that it's ominous or bad. It's that it's dangerous. Toothbrushes seem innocuous. But what about tooth whitening? What about beauty ideals? What about a body mass index? Not necessarily bad. But all of these certainly carry some perplexing consequences.
Anyone else have other thoughts? Good question. Thanks.
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