A rather fascinating and convincing insight came to my attention out of a
re-read of Discipline and Punish.
Foucault talks of the lyricism of marginality, or how the image of the
outlaw or cultural rebel can become a product of social control, a mechanism
of attracting like minded people to his cause, as far as social
functionalism is concerned. While the intents of the marginality are
sincere, in a greater social function, their impact becomes neutralized and
they soon fade to little more than a rallying points for a group of people
to come around and be socially defined by.
This applies not just to legendary/mythological outlaws like Robin Hood or
Zorro, but contemporary political icons like Che Guevara, Marx and (if
Foucault were alive today and saw his popularity here) perhaps Foucault
himself. Cultural icons with the air of the rebellious, the experimental,
the new, soon function socially as forms of entertainment and social
recognition and hip radicalism, such as Jack Kerouac, JD Salinger, The
Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Elvis, Tupac, etc.
Foucault does not aim to discredit such things but show their social
function as part of an alluring narrative of marginality that becomes
cliched and wins over a following of those fascinated with the anti-social.
I think I butchered that entire idea and may have misrepresented him but
that's what I got and I think he's right, in light of what I've seen with
these figures throughout my high school and college years, even now in my
sophomore year, as I walk down the street.
--
Chetan Vemuri
West Des Moines, IA
aryavartacnsrn@xxxxxxxxx
(515)-418-2771
"You say you want a Revolution! Well you know, we all want to change the
world"
re-read of Discipline and Punish.
Foucault talks of the lyricism of marginality, or how the image of the
outlaw or cultural rebel can become a product of social control, a mechanism
of attracting like minded people to his cause, as far as social
functionalism is concerned. While the intents of the marginality are
sincere, in a greater social function, their impact becomes neutralized and
they soon fade to little more than a rallying points for a group of people
to come around and be socially defined by.
This applies not just to legendary/mythological outlaws like Robin Hood or
Zorro, but contemporary political icons like Che Guevara, Marx and (if
Foucault were alive today and saw his popularity here) perhaps Foucault
himself. Cultural icons with the air of the rebellious, the experimental,
the new, soon function socially as forms of entertainment and social
recognition and hip radicalism, such as Jack Kerouac, JD Salinger, The
Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Elvis, Tupac, etc.
Foucault does not aim to discredit such things but show their social
function as part of an alluring narrative of marginality that becomes
cliched and wins over a following of those fascinated with the anti-social.
I think I butchered that entire idea and may have misrepresented him but
that's what I got and I think he's right, in light of what I've seen with
these figures throughout my high school and college years, even now in my
sophomore year, as I walk down the street.
--
Chetan Vemuri
West Des Moines, IA
aryavartacnsrn@xxxxxxxxx
(515)-418-2771
"You say you want a Revolution! Well you know, we all want to change the
world"