Well I never

[crowson75]

For those on my flist who, like me, like to know loads of stuff, I thought I would share this.  It's come to my attention via my studies and, well, it's sort of... Well I think it's a bit creepy actually.

The Panopticon

it has to be said, that Jeremy Betham was a very cool chap.  Big on women's rights and homosexual rights at a time it wasn't

Comments

[phantomreviewer]

Very 1984 isn't it?

[crowson75]

VERY! It's a really interesting idea; that surveillance will make people reform their own behaviour, but it's still fucking creepy.

[phantomreviewer]

Yup. *shudder*

I need to finished 1984 actually...

[crowson75]

Ah, 1984... *reminisces* Hated it the first time I read it. And now it just gets scarier. :)

[kel_reiley]

yeah, that is creepy

hey, OT - have you ever heard of a band called 'the horrors'?

[crowson75]

Isn't it though? Castro was at that prison apparently.

The Horrors? Aye. They're fantastic. They remind me of a band from the 90's called Gallon Drunk. They're still cool though. Like Jesus and Mary Chain with Nick Cave singing.

[kel_reiley]

hmm
a friend from your country is in town and they are playing the magic stick tomorrow night... perhaps i shall ask her if she is interested (otherwise, my town has NOTHING fun to do on a monday night!)

[crowson75]

I'd go see the Horrors, if that helps. I have no gig venues near me... actually that's a lie. No good ones. :)

Have a look on YouTube. My fave song's Jack The Ripper, but that was from their first album.

[aryas_zehral]

Is that the Foucault everyone is always watching everyone and noone can be sure when they are being watched which is part of how people end up behaving in a way society at large would like even when they are alone thing?

[crowson75]

Foucault did go that route yes. The same idea was essential to Betham's design; that no one knows whether they're being watched, so they will modify their own behaviour accordingly. It's the same notion behind surveillance and even speed cameras. We will all behave just in case.

Then, of course, who watches the watchers?

[aryas_zehral]

The aliens do. There are always aliens.

[crowson75]

This is true. And they've got Elvis.

[emptyheaven]

That's quite creepy, being watched and not knowing it... and for some reason makes me think of those public toilets where you can see out but they can't see in?

/random

[crowson75]

Oh yes! Watching from the throne! :)

I think it's creepy yes; very Big Brother. It reminds me of the sorts of space ships you see in Star Trek, et all - these big round things with a central column.

[maja_carlisle]

*slaps forehead*

D'uh!

When I read your entry first, I thought "Mmm Jeremy Betham? Why does this name sound familiar?"

In the television show LOST much of how the Others watched Jack Shepherd, James "Sawyer" Ford, and Kate Austen was very similar to the Panopticon. A character even takes the name of Jeremy Bentham in Season 4.

Had to be a Lost reference... ;)

[crowson75]

LOL! I have to admit, I never put the two together, despite knowing about Betham - the real Betham - a few years ago.