Just over a week ago I was in a class with a woman from France. We were discussing Michel Foucault, a French philosopher, when she said this, "You know, for a country that so prides itself on freedom, I have never seen a population so afraid in my life? What are you all afraid of? In the 'land of the free' there is more surveillance and observation than in any other country I've ever been. In other places people are just more relaxed. Less fearful. What is it about America that creates this combination of freedom and fear?"
Other than wondering if she had ever been to downtown London (I wanted to ask but didn't want to appear snippy) I was reminded of our MF discussions of critical theory, frames, hegemony, and ideology. And I really wondered what people here would think of her observations of freedom and fear in America. And, during this past week's NCrissieB diaries, I've been reminded of that conversation.
For more on Foucault, freedom, and fear, follow the fold...
Primary PSA
If you live in Arkansas, Hawaii, Kentucky, Oregon, or Pennsylvania,
go vote today. For the front page "clip-and-save" guide to today's voting, click here.
What is a Philosopher?
The New York Times unveiled a new online-only column series this week on philosophy, with a first article titled, "What Is a Philosopher?"
Foucault in interviews and in published writing, however, stated he thought of himself as a historian (of thought, power, and human discourse) rather than a philosopher. Indeed, most of his works deal with the history of something, Madness and Civilization with the history of exclusion and the creation of normalcy as influenced by definitions of mental illness, The Birth of the Clinic discusses ideology and hegemony as functions of the history of medicine, The Order of Things begins with a dissection of Las Meninas and travels through the histories of art, science, and culture as sites of human discourse, Discipline and Punish is his text on the history of prisons, and The History of Sexuality is less about the act itself than about the structures and controls society has placed on it, and for what purposes, during different epochs of human history.
This work is challenging at times, and at least for me, at times nearly impenetrable. But, the arguments are thought provoking and the channels and tributaries of Foucault's thought rewarding once contemplated. In any case, it is enough for me to be convinced, no matter Foucault's personal preferences, that historians and philosophers may very much be the same thing. (My reading of Howard Zinn also supports that thought.)
Technology
Throughout Foucault's writing one finds the word "technology." Technology for Foucault, however, is different from technology for most of us today. For example, his book on mental illness is less interested in scientifically defining a variety of mental illnesses by using certain kinds of technology as it is in how society has defined and considered mental illness and how it has treated those that fit the social definition. This social action is a technology for Foucault. The acts of clinically defining leprosy and the exclusion of lepers from acceptable society are both technological acts, of which Foucault is far more interested in the second than in the first.
In more modern terms, for Foucault it is less about what people do with their iPads than it is about what society does with the social categories of those who have iPads and those who do not, and the relationships between the individual and the social in that dynamic. In his words, "The main point is...to analyze these so-called sciences as very specific "truth-games" related to specific techniques that human beings use to understand themselves." Some of these "so-called sciences" would be medicine, law, economics, and education.
This is where we would insert all the notions of ideology, hegemony, and conflict from my first diary on critical theory if I hadn't already written about them here.
Foucault writes about 4 primary technologies, the 4th of which I am most interested here, as it gives me the most hope in working through my issues with critical theory.
Technologies of Production
Associated with economics and organized systems of labor and exchange, these are also about how objects are valued, made, stored, and disposed of. Foucault was least interested in this one, as far as I can tell. There is very little in his writings about Marx, say, as compared to Socrates and Pinel.
Technologies of Sign Systems
This one is about symbol meaning and interpretation. How people develop and use language, mathematics, and artistic standards as methods of communication. Critical for understanding the next two, but again, Foucault however does not consider it the center of his inquiries. The modern discussion of "memes" would best fit here, even though it may have implications for more than this one alone.
Technologies of Power
The early part of Foucault's career is spent dissecting, deconstructing, and analyzing 3 technologies of power.
Monarchic (or Sovereign) Power
This is represented by public exhibitions of state authority on individuals, including such displays as public executions, the Salem witch trials, and penal colonies or prisons. Foucault argues that such displays have become less and less necessary through time as societies have discovered and implemented new technologies of power to create and maintain ideological social norms.
Disciplinary Power
The person's having internalized what is expected of of them by society. A person's willingness to discipline herself, or himself, rather than the state making a display of doing so in order to maintain status quo power relationships. Our earlier discussion of hegemony and why some people tend to support policies and vote for candidates that consistently act against their progress sits nicely here. It works both ways, though. As a progressive Democrat, I know the lingo and the policy positions that other progressive Democrats are "supposed" to use and support. Thus, when I meet one that doesn't, I immediately (consciously, or unconsciously) question that person's identity by comparing it against my template for "progressive Democrat." Now, call to mind any one, or several, flame wars on DKos where people have called into question each other's bona fides as progressives and we have an easily accessible example of the potential for disciplinary power to affect social dynamics.
Biopower
One of Foucault's later ideas, the observation that when state apparatuses began defining themselves in terms of "protecting a way of life" instead of threatening an individual's life, that the definition, use, and experience of power changed dramatically. Once life itself is the justification for action, a state authority is justified in doing anything it sees fit as necessary to meet that standard. Biopower also relates to society's control of sexuality standards (see Rekers and backlashes for an example) and other practices that control or limit an individual's ability to be themselves and act on their own behalf based on biology.
Technologies of the Self
However, and thankfully, for me, there are some things we can do to work against these technologies of power. To work on ourselves, so to speak, instead of just allowing society and the powers that be to work on us all of the time. These technologies are the technologies of the self, and are the focus of much of Foucault's later writing. He focused on ancient Greek, Roman, and Christian practices as examples, but I can think of a few modern ones, as well.
Hupomnemata
An ancient Greek method of diary keeping, or a hybrid of notebooks and scrapbooks. Socrates critiqued them as substituting for the superior natural memory, much as we now critique texting as degrading grammar and spelling. Foucault suggests, however, that keeping thoughtful and reflective diaries as a practice of working on one's own thoughts and evaluating and analyzing one's own reactions to ideas, people, and art is a valuable technology for self development. In this way, a person can write himself or herself into existence. Some who use blogs for self-discovery and examination may be creating modern forms of hupomnemata.
Confession
Writing, however, comes late to the technological game. For most of human history, most people have not been able to write or record their thoughts and impressions. Catholic confession is much critiqued by Foucault as a site of disciplinary power, as a tool used to deny and abuse the self in the pursuit of a socially defined purity. But it is also considered as a potential technology for self development or growth if used not to adhere to or conform with an abusive authority, but instead, to evaluate one's own thoughts, feelings, and reactions, and desired changes in them and in one's behavior. Again, the focus is on the creation of self through self-reflection.
Or, Just Take a Walk
Epictetus recommended walking every morning. And, in the course of walking, to have an inner dialogue with oneself about something of importance to that day or of relevance to one's goals or aspirations. What are my motives? Why am I impressed by this thing or person? What draws me to it? How would I evaluate it if I were truly indifferent to it?
Meditation
All of these are based on Foucault's observation in ancient texts that every reference to "knowing oneself" as in the command at the Oracle of Delphi was accompanied, or associated in some way, with the mutual command to "care for oneself." He interprets the command to "know thyself" as a reminder to remember your place in the grander scheme of things. Be careful what you ask for, because if you haven't thought about yourself and what you really want, and the consequences of your actions and desires, bad things are more likely to happen than if you have done these things. This is critical for politicians and others who have responsibilities for people other than themselves. That in order to care for others, essentially, a leader must first care for herself. In this he is not talking about finances, or social standing. He is talking about soul-work. The kind of self-knowledge and relationship to others that comes as the result of confession, self-reflection, meditation, and deep observation. This was the source, the root, of Socrates' ability to stand trial with wit, humor, poise, and composure. It is also the source of my hope against the otherwise pessimistic critical theory with which I have struggled this semester.
I mean, really, if hegemony is true and people relish in their own subjugation, and ideology anticipates change and accommodates, then where is the hope for a better, more just, more equitable world?
Some would answer there is none. That the core activist stance is simply in knowing the truth of those conditions, and then working against them as best as one may, but without any real expectation that the underlying structures will ever significantly change.
I differ.
If I, as a teacher, or a professor, or a dentist, or a janitor, or a parent, or a mechanic, or a manager, or a fisherman, or whatever, can ask of myself the questions I would ask of others, reflect on the questions and my own answers, and become more capable of meaningful insight and action as a result, therein is hope. If I can question the frames and ideologies I inherit and inhabit, if I can trouble the structures and practices of inequity and my own positions in them, then there is hope. If I can center myself, balance myself, by, as Foucault recommends, "working on the self" as an act of artistic creation of my own life (the core proposal of the technologies of self), I can not only begin to resist dominant ideology but may be better positioned to create improvement and progress at deep levels, if not in society as a whole, at least deeply within myself.
Foucault on Freedom and Fear
The freer people are with each other, the more they want to control each other's conduct...To a certain extent, this critical function of philosophy derives from the Socratic injunction "Take care of yourself," in other words, "Make freedom your foundation, through the mastery of yourself."
What is a philosopher?
From that same New York Times column mentioned at the beginning of this piece:
Nothing is more common in the history of philosophy than the accusation of impiety. Because of their laughable otherworldliness and lack of respect for social convention, rank and privilege, philosophers refuse to honor the old gods and this makes them politically suspicious, even dangerous.
TWLTW
- Google will begin selling e-books directly to customers online this summer. The books will be only readable through a browser online, stored on Google's cloud servers. This eliminates the need for DRM (cheaper e-books, maybe?) and makes available a person's books on any device capable of opening a web page. Out of print and new run titles will be available. Downside? You have to have an internet connection to read anything you've purchased from Google.
- After my diary on Testing Gone Wild so many weeks ago, this article in the NYT about 2 private schools deciding to drop the ERB test for their preschools due to easily accessible preparation materials compromising the test. Good for them, I say!
- The new Miss USA is a Lebanese immigrant from Dearborn, Michigan. Some other facts about Dearborn:
- Population: 100,000
- Celebrities who have lived there, or in nearby Detroit: Sonny Bono, Alice Cooper, Francis Ford Coppola, Aretha Franklin, Casey Kasem, Charles Lindbergh, Joe Louis, Madonna, Eminem, Ed McMahon, ted Nugent, Rosa Parks, Diana Ross, Bob Seger, Tom Selleck, Jack & Meg White, Robin Williams, and, oh yes, Henry Ford.
- The 1st paved road (concrete) was built here in 1909 (near the Model T plant, of course!).
- The oldest state fair in the nation is nearby, held annually since 1849.
- Detroit was the first city in the United States to use unique telephone numbers for individual citizens (1879).
Source: Mensa National Bulletin, April, 2010
- Saw Sherlock Holmes on dvd and loved Robert Downey Jr., but really did not like the movie.
- As for entertainment, FOX & NBC released their fall schedules for 2010. It will be weird to have a tv season without Lost or 24, but we survived the end of Jon & Kate + 8, did we not? As for the fall, the return of Lie To Me has me hopeful. Love that show as it is based in the real-world science of emotion psychology. American Idol switches to 90 minutes of performance and 30 minutes of results. They're also down 9% this year in the key demographic(s). Cancellation of Law & Order, but creation of Law & Order: Los Angeles? Hmmm... NBC on verge of being bought by Comcast, this season could sweeten or weaken that deal depending on how the new series work out.
- I've been invited to teach a course on Giftedness and Intelligence this fall at Teachers College. I'm very excited about this opportunity. I'm currently considering texts for the required reading list. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm interested. I've just read The Genius In All Of Us over the past 2 days and believe I will add it as a required text to be read in tandem with Gould's Mismeasure of Man. I'm considering the value of requiring students to read parts of The Bell Curve, though, to ground them in what these authors are critiquing.
I've also been working on a consulting/research project for a private school in Manhattan. Some of what I've learned about private schools in Manhattan, and the private school culture, in the process is both disturbing and fascinating. I expect a diary about some of these discoveries next Tuesday morning, unless something more fascinating occurs to me between now and then. Any suggestions?
What Did You Learn This Week?
