exercising power and resistance

Foucault’s theories of power and ethics were described in chapter 6 of Gauntlett. Foucault describes power as something that is exercised, rather than as something that is held by an individual. It is found in relationships and nearly everywhere, and it is more complex than just labeling an individual or a group as powerful. Power causes things, or brings about something new, because when power is exercised, resistance is also exercised in some form or another. Foucault’s perspective on ethics is that they exist on an individual level; They are an individual’s standards for himself. ‘Technologies of the self’ is what an individual does about his own ethics.
Chapter 7 deals with the “queer theory,” which is an approach to sexuality and identity. One of the main points was that identity changes because it is developed through social and cultural things that you express. Judith Butler argues against feminism, which, she points out, creates a definite distinction between men and women. Butler says instead that an individual has a body, an identity, and desires and these aspects may or may not connect in a particular way that our culture would expect. Gender is not something we have, but it is how we behave and express ourselves.
The beginning of this episode of King of Queens shows an ordinary interaction between a husband and wife having a conversation over dinner. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Srh0Nl4Stm4
Even in a typical conversation, there is power being exercised and resistance to the power being exercised. In this case, Carrie asks Doug to walk over to the other table to confront a man who is staring at her (and making her uncomfortable). She is exercising power at this moment, and Doug resists by saying “Yeah, I never agreed to that.” Power is exercised again when Carrie insists that Doug stand up for her. Doug’s reluctency as he stands up and goes across the room is an additional exercise of resistance. The exercise of power brought about Doug’s conversation with the wig man, which could be considered positive that they found out why he was staring at Carrie, and maybe negative because Carrie later got a really bad haircut to sell her hair to this person’s company.