Ch.6 The Hidden Power of Knowledge: Surveillance, the Panocpticon, and Disciplinary Power

Scholar Foucault suggests that a central feature of current modes of power is survillance or constant supervision. Supervision is a structural feature of modern power systems. According to the text Organizational members are subject to systems in which real and present possibilty of surveillance exists.

I can relate to being under constant supervision at the organization I work at. The Internet sites we visit are constantly monitored and each week they release the top 10 Internet abusers and they contact the V.A police service. I work for the Veterans Hospital which is a government hospital so they like to keep track of what all employees are doing and making sure you are not abusing government property. Also they supervise how many phone calls you make. They give us a 5 digit phone code just to dial out and they keep track of how many phone calls we make and how long we stay on the phone, they also determine how much each phone call costs them. I always feel like I have someone supervising every move I make and I think I feel that way because I do. At the VA there is always someone there to monitor what you are doing.

I believe in every organization employees are under surveillance and it's just their way of keeping employees under control and in line. However after working for the government I can say they are on another level when it comes to surveillance and supervision of their employees.