Problem Problems

"I would describe panopticism as the condition where people alter their own behaviors based on the idea that they may be being watched by an invisible authority. Surveillance cameras are a perfect example of it but even the organization of a classroom that allows the teacher to see every student is related to it. I don't see that as mere social pressure as in the pressure to dress a certain way or pressure to be married by a certain age. I just wanted to point out that the reading doesn't quite match the vague idea of social pressure."
-Guy in my group

Katherine uses problem-based learning in her classes, which is basically where she gives us a "problem" presented as a series of questions, then says "okay, get into your groups and go answer them." That is, of course, a highly simplified explanation. This go around, the group is giving me headaches.

We have person A who's new to the group. She's crazy. She's the kind of person who can talk, and talk, and talk and at the end of it, leave me thinking "what the hell did she just say?" Honestly, half the stuff that she says is impressively incoherent. I don't know how she pulls it off, but she does.

Then we have person B who's stubborn and sporadically dense. He's the one that doesn't think Foucault applies to social pressures. Gimme a break. I've seen him used in that exact context. Wanna know where? Brit. Lit. 2, which I took with, you guessed it, Katherine. She's the one who applied Foucault to Victorian culture.

Bloody hell, people.