Rockwell sings “I feel like somebody’s watching me”, the paranoia of being constantly watched in the song is similar to that of panopticon: a structure that enables seeing without being seen while others imagine themselves being seen. In other words, panopticon gives the illusion of being seen while, a person may not be being surveilled at all. Although it’s a catchy tune, it speaks volumes to the way that current society is built around the feeling of being constantly observed by those in power such as the government, our peers, or in Rockwell’s case, the creepy ghost in the house.
Elf on the Shelf can be found lounging above the fireplace around Christmas time watching over the little ones to make sure they stay on the Nice List. The idea is to make the children want to behave so that they will have presents instead of coal on Christmas Day. Elf on the Shelf is a classic example of surveillance becoming a part of popular culture and even extending into our homes and holiday traditions.
Social media, specifically Facebook has become a way for people to keep tabs on each other. We actively give information about ourselves, and in turn allow ourselves to be looked upon or surveilled by our peers, and those who own the websites. These website owners often take full advantage of the information given, tracking what other websites you go on, as well as selling that information to advertisers.
In the popular novel and movie series, The Hunger Games, panopticon is being used by the government in order to hold power over the districts and their people. They are under constant surveillance be it within the actual games or simply watching from the home. The characters competing in the games are being controlled by an unseen force that makes sure the characters are “behaving properly” and actively competing in the deadly games, a testament to the power struggle that panopticon often comes with. Panopticon begs the question: are we living out of our own free will, or living as if someone is always watching?
The movie Eagle Eye starring Shia LeBouf, is about an ultra-intelligent government created computer system named ARIIA.The computer system has a plan to overthrow the American government after she deems it unfit and unsafe for humanity. ARIIA is able to control all types of electronic devises from cell phones to traffic lights making her all knowing with access to even the most private information. This ability to “see” everything allowed the system to take away the free will of those it was controlling.