Question regarding the philosophy of MICHEL FOUCAULT: Individuality...?

Question

I have only recently started to read Michel Foucault.

Question 1: Is all individuality and subjectivity a product of modern day power systems or only a certain kind of individuality?

e.g. the panopticon creates through the gaze, disciplined body’s who are self policing and self conscious. Regulating and correcting themselves with the knowledge of the norm in order to become a healthy balanced individual of society.
Is this not the creation of a specific kind of individuality?


Question 2: How can one free himself from pre-conditioned rationality or escape the effects of power that create who we are, if that is a possibility?

Could one not use the same power techniques like discipline, knowledge, self consciousness etc. to do the opposite of what is expected from one. To create ones own values, reality or truth?

e.g. A man who chooses to live his life as a vagabond, dedicating his life to art and reaching some kind of understanding of life. One who by living with these values would pursue any direction that his understanding leads him, even if that would mean self-destruction or going against society’s norms or understanding of what one is and what life is.

Maybe this is a stupid example, I don't know. English is not my mother tongue, but I hope my questions can be understood anyway.

One Yahoo answer said:
MF argues for delimiting, deconstructing, deconditioning, of the organism, in order to permit it more Sartrean degrees of "freedom to choose."

How can this be done?

Answer 1

Sorry Louis, I've had a look in all my books and I've got nothing on Foucault and the individual. It's all about historicity or the power of knowledge (as I answered on your other question). I'll keep looking.

Answer 2

A topic as broad as this, even if contained within a reference of just one person, would require some thinking. None the less it is about human nature and human mind that attempts to interpret the sense of a world around us. There could be many ways for power systems to influence mind, and there could also be many ways for people to live through with their individuality, dignity and esteem intact.

It is the interaction between an inevitable individual in unavoidable environment. There has to be individuals who come together to share their identities, to participate to build a human environment. Individuals are expected to conform to the values, rules and norms of their surroundings. The environment exerts power upon individuals, but as a result of better conformity individuals become part of their power-system … but at what cost? Does one have to sacrifice his individuality to become a valid part of the whole? Like many other things this depends upon the person, the role he or she assumes within a power structure and his or her intellectual, physical or moral capacities.

The question therefore is that once an individual joins up, when agreed to proceed what are the main motivating factor apportioned for this purpose. In my opinion a person would maintain individuality if he has priority rating of needs set rightly in his or her need-set. If a person is able to take into account all his or her needs ranging from physical and reaching spiritual at the tope of need hierarchy then it would be more likely to experience a person as an individual, as it is very likely for power-systems to create non-thinking drones instead of thinking human beings, capable of asking vital questions.