Compare And Contrast Marcuse And Foucault

The two theorist that I have chosen to characterize are Herbert Marcuse and Michel Foucault. First, I am going to start with Michel Foucault. Foucault is widely known for shaping the understanding of power. According to Foucault, power is what shapes us as humans. “Foucault uses the term ‘power/knowledge’ to signify that power is constituted through accepted forms of knowledge, scientific understanding and ‘truth’” (PowerCube.) Foucault states that power and knowledge go hand in hand. Foucault is one of the few who takes into consideration that power isn’t just something that is negative or authoritarian that forces us to go against our beliefs. He believes that power can be something that is a positive and helpful force in society. “Power …show more content…
Their systems of surveillance and assessment no longer required force or violence, as people learned to discipline themselves and behave in expected ways.” (PowerCube) Discipline is an instrument of force which directs the conduct of people in the social body. There are three major points that Foucault mentions when talking about a disciplinary society. The first component is, hierarchical observation, which means to control people merely by observing them. The next point that Foucault mentions is, normalizing judgment. This is when you correct some one’s deviant actions by enforcing norms upon them. Lastly, there is the …show more content…
Marcuse believes that critical thinking has two-dimensions. The first one being, awareness of contradictions in society, for example, bureaucracy. The second one he mentions is, awareness of the forces of domination, for example, capitalism. This explains the two-dimensions as being culture and civilization. “Civilization is the current material structure of life in the society, the real existing society, the current political, economic, and social arrangements. It is the material state of affairs, the status quo.” (Pujols) Culture is “the complex of distinctive beliefs, attainments, and traditions, constituting the ‘background’ of a society which appears as the complex of moral, intellectual, and aesthetic goals, a society considers the purpose of its organization.” (Pujols) Marcuse believes that we are not able to see materialism, individualism, and racism, and he is convinced that we are all victims of domination. Marcuse was concerned with how we can arrive at what he calls “qualitative socialism”, a society in which “surplus repression” isn’t necessary. However, this is not