The Panopticon Letters serve as an entrance into the twisted mind of Jeremy Bentham. In his outline of a surveillance model, the panopticon, his intentions are more interesting than the structure’s design. The meticulous detailing of the structure shows Bentham’s deep investment in a new method of watching people. However, to the architect, the panopticon is a method for getting people to accomplish a specific goal more efficiently. Bentham’s disregard for the inhumane nature of his design is apparent as his thinking aims to optimize processes. The panopticon can serve that purpose, but I am curious about its long-term efficacy. Are surveillance and, as a result, dehumanization enough to force consistent and obedient behavior in humans? Frankly, I would not like to know the answer to this question, but it is a sufficient thought experiment. Beyond the conventional use of his design as a prison, he also suggests its use in factories, schools, and hospitals. Its necessity, or lack thereof, is supported by the fact that the watchers would be the ones to institute these facilities. There are no groups of people banding together to make panopticons for the greater good of society - this model reinforces the power of the watchers over those being watched.