My Own Special Panopticon

Michael Foucault has recently become a major figure in my life. We've spent all semester reading and interpreting governmentality in the context of the EU. I won't go into detail because Focault's ideas are extremely complicated and I'm already avoiding writing about in my papers as evidenced by the fact I'm writing in my blog instead of on a blank Word document. But for people interested I've found this article here and this awesome youtube video here nicely explain the main ideas, although I won't pretend to have an extra firm grasp on his ideas. 

The panopticon is a prison layout conceived by Jeremy Bentham in the 1790's and is a circular structure in which the cells are in the walls and the guards tower is in the center of the building. The prisoners are never be able to tell if the guard is in the tower watching them. The aim of the structure is to psychologically ingrain the idea that as a prisoner, you are being constantly observed and therefore constantly monitoring themselves. Typically it is considered inhumane because of psychological stress. 

Below is a photo of a version of the panopticon built in Cuba.

Foucault often uses the panopticon to describe how society is constantly under an invisible surveillance by others in the society that pushes individuals to monitor even their tiniest behaviors. As he puts it, "The Panopticon is an ideal architectural figure of modern disciplinary power. The Panopticon creates a consciousness of permanent visibility as a form of power, where no bars, chains, and heavy locks are necessary for domination any more."

So that's Foucault's panopticon, now I'd like to show you my own panopticon, the Grimm Zentrum library at Humboldt University.

Yeah, its a panopticon. 

In the photo you can tell that from any of the desks you can monitor your neighbors and basically anyone in the study desk area to MAKE SURE THEYRE STUDYING. The peer pressure will keep you from watching TV shows on your lap. 

Ahhh so yes I've been living in this panopticon because its (finally) finals. 

[Edit]: Apparently not everyone thinks this library is a physiological torture chamber. Guess what library made it into a list of the most beautiful libraries in the world. And ha ha ha Seattle Public Library is the third photo down... also an ugly uncomfortable library. Sigh, modern libraries are so ugly and feel like doctor offices, where are the comfy chairs and soft corners? 

WWII everywhere!!

So in an effort to not loose all mobility in my body I've decided to start running again... yay... but seriously I was out in a blizzard yesterday running in the snow while thoughtful Germans were pulling their children on sleds probably thinking that I was going to get sick because in Germany having a head that is exposed and therefore cold = getting sick.

(What the park looks like currently)

The point is I've been running in Volkspark Friedrichshain which is extremely close to my apartment. I've been telling everyone (aka Duncan) lies about how it was made in the DDR time to be a park for the people, hence the name Volks (people's) park. Lies, all lies. Today I read the placard to discover that the park actually dates back to 1848 and is the oldest park in Berlin. Oops!

The cool news is that the hills that I've been trying to avoid because they KILL MY LEGS/HEART/MIND are actually parts of an old bunker and an air raid tower. During WWII the Nazis made a only few above ground bunkers which were often meant to look like normal buildings but actually had 3 meter thick concrete walls. All of this was concealed even more by the trees, leaves, and bushes in the park. After the war basically everything in the area was destroyed and the allies decided to make Trümmerberge (literally, rubble mountain) out of the old bunker. Two hills were created with help from a sizable amount of the surrounding area's war rubble. Imagine my surprise when I realized I'd been running over the rubble from WWII.  Currently they look just like normal hills that have been highly manicured, but I can't wait for the snow (yes, snow in March) to melt and then I'm going digging for WWII relics in the mountainside.

Also I've lived in my apartment for five months and sadly have never been to the park before last week! It's so bad! Sometimes living in another country gets so wearing that you forget you're supposed to be interested or amazed at the color of the tram or the punctuality of German buses or the beautiful buildings or even the war rubble you've been running over for three days. Well seeing as I'm moving soon I should really enjoy the park while I can.

Here's the Wikipedia page if you're interested Volkspark Friedrichshain.
First photo from this website and the second from the Wikipedia page.