This whole idea of Panopticism and the fact that we are always being watched is a little nerve racking. We monitor our own actions so we blend into society and follow the rules set out for us. We do not know who is watching us, but we know someone could be watching us, and this possibility has a huge effect on how we behave.
Most of us understand this possibility and look at it as a way of controlling behaviour. However, for the average attention craver, this panoptic world is something they can use to their advantage.
Youtube.com is a huge example. There are thousands of people on Youtube doing the most outrageous and ultimately stupid things all because they know it will get a couple views.
Username MattKeck posted a video called, “I’m a snake”, where he dresses up as a snake, talks in an unheard of accent, and repeatedly says he is a snake. Sounds a little odd? Oddly enough it received 2, 354, 625 views in 5 months of posting.
Check it out for your self: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti4sqG85FU4
Ever heard of Justin Beiber? Right, who has not? He was discovered by his videos on Youtube and then referred to superstar, Usher, who really got his career rolling. Knowingly posting his videos for others to watch seriously paid off for Justin Beiber. http://music.aol.com/blog/2010/09/16/how-did-usher-find-justin-bieber/
The fact that being noticed becomes easier with surveillance and sousveillance creates an effortless time for attention seekers to seek attention. In the case of the “snake” and Justin Beiber, these were both harmless cases of some public awareness and made a few people laugh along the way.
However, people can abuse the fact that they are being watched all the time. This past summer, Ashley Anne Kirilow, of Burlington, Ontario created much public awareness about her battle with cancer. She made a facebook group asking for donations to help her cause. Many people sympathized with Ashley and gave their support. She claimed she had no family and was soon going to die. After Ashley had gotten what she wanted; sometime in the limelight and a few extra bucks, the truth came out that the whole story was a scam and Ashley did not have cancer at all. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/08/08/kirilow-cancer.html or youtube report http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVzqpfB-b-g
Ashley knew her story would raise awareness; she knew people would want to listen and want to follow her story. This is a case of someone abusing the panoptic and very much taking our servailed society to their advantage.
Whether you take this idea of a panoptic to your advantage and make a few people laugh, make a few million dollars, or make a terrible name for yourself, the choice is yours. Just be careful what you are doing, because the public eye never blinks.
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