I
have been puzzling over what stance to take on connecting the motif of power in
the three works. The authors have very
different perspectives on the idea. West is criticizing current forms of power,
Foucault is analyzing modern power symbolically via a geometrical structure,
and Berger discusses power through images.
It is thus important to find a common characteristic or theme the works
share in order to reach a conclusion.
As
of now, the connection I find most interesting is that all three focus on the
comparison of power in the past compared to what it is now. West accomplishes this through the images in
the video (old symbolic references), and through modern references in his
lyrics. Foucault discusses primarily the
Panopticon as the newest, and arguably most efficient, form of power. Berger argues the power of what is seen, in
the sense that in the past images held more power because they were
authentic. The common thread in three
then becomes evident: society is constantly looking to progress and improve,
whether it be technology, quality of life, political theory, etc. This includes the improvement of power. The two questions I would like to answer in
my synthesis are: ‘Do the authors view the improvement of power through time as
beneficial or dangerous to society?’ And
‘How do the authors portray their opinion of power (compare/contrast)?’
I like your phrase "improvement of power," but I'm not quite sure what you mean by it. "Improvement" for Foucault means a transformation of the type of power possible.
ReplyDeleteParticularly given that you are talking about if power is "beneficial" to society. Because both Foucault and Berger distinguish among different hierarchies in society. Berger talks about the difference between the painter and those that have commissioned him. Also, you might want to look at what Berger says on the last page about reproduction of images not simply allowing the masses to experience art "in the same way" that the elites do, but rather that it transforms our relationship to images. The question is: How might the masses (which we are somewhat part of--albeit a privileged section) harness the power of the reproduction of images? How does the reproduction of images relate to the power of a "disciplinary" society (this is what I was trying to get at with "visibility"