The Missing Piece in Foucault’s Concept of Power: The Evolutionary Drive to Conform

Exploring the unseen forces that shape our behavior through societal expectations and the innate human drive to conform.

Introduction

Michel Foucault, one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century, revolutionized our understanding of power by demonstrating that it is not merely a hierarchical force imposed from above but rather a pervasive, dynamic, and cyclic element present in every facet of life. His ideas on micro-power — the subtle, everyday mechanisms through which individuals are shaped and controlled — redefined our understanding of how societies function. Yet, while Foucault provided a powerful lens to view power’s intricate workings, I argue that an essential component is missing from his analysis: the evolutionary drive to conform. This biological imperative explains why individuals so readily internalize and perpetuate social norms, making micro-power highly effective with minimal intervention.

In this article, I will first provide a background on Foucault’s ideas of power, discuss micro-power through various examples, and finally introduce conformity as the missing link that completes the puzzle of social control.

Foucault’s Concept of Power: A Brief Overview

Foucault challenged traditional notions of power that portrayed it as a top-down force wielded by rulers, governments, and institutions. Instead, he argued that power is diffuse, decentralized, and operates in a cyclic manner. It is present in relationships, knowledge systems, and social practices, shaping individuals while simultaneously being shaped by them.

Key aspects of Foucault’s power dynamics include:

• Power is everywhere: It is not confined to political or economic structures but exists in everyday interactions, shaping behaviors and expectations.
• Power is productive, not just repressive: Rather than simply prohibiting actions, power generates knowledge, identities, and norms.
• Power is cyclic and relational: It flows in all directions, meaning individuals are not merely subjects of power but also participants in its perpetuation.
• Governmentality: Power is most effective when it leads individuals to self-regulate, aligning themselves with societal norms without overt coercion.

Foucault introduced the concept of micro-power, which refers to the small, often invisible forces that influence individuals on a day-to-day basis. Unlike large-scale political power, micro-power operates subtly, shaping behavior through cultural expectations, social relationships, and institutional norms.

Examples of Micro-Power

To better understand how micro-power manifests, let’s examine some examples:

Disciplinary Institutions: In Discipline and Punish, Foucault explored how institutions such as schools, prisons, and hospitals implemented surveillance techniques to shape behavior. The Panopticon, a prison design where inmates believed they were constantly being watched, serves as an example of how individuals internalize power without direct force.

Social Conventions and Norms: Societies use micro-power through cultural norms that dictate behavior, such as dress codes, social etiquette, and professional expectations.

Modern Media and Social Networks: Social media platforms function as powerful tools of micro-power. Likes, shares, and online validation create social pressure that aligns individuals with prevailing trends and ideologies.

Workplace Culture and Education: Corporations and educational institutions enforce norms through performance evaluations, dress codes, and behavioral expectations. Employees and students adjust their actions to align with the prevailing culture, often without explicit instruction.

Health and Self-Surveillance: The rise of wearable health technology (e.g., fitness trackers) is another example of micro-power in which individuals monitor and regulate their own behavior, aligning with societal expectations of health and productivity.

The Missing Link: The Evolutionary Drive to Conform

While Foucault’s theory provides an insightful analysis of how societal structures shape individuals, it does not fully address why people are so willing to conform to these power mechanisms with such minimal effort. This is where evolutionary psychology offers a crucial supplement.

Human beings possess an innate drive to conform, a survival mechanism honed over thousands of years of evolution. In early human societies, conformity was essential for survival, as belonging to a group increased access to resources, protection, and social bonds. Those who failed to conform risked social exclusion, which could be fatal in hunter-gatherer environments.

Key evolutionary principles behind conformity include:

• Social Belonging and Safety: Humans are hardwired to seek acceptance within their social groups. The fear of rejection leads individuals to self-regulate their behavior, making external enforcement unnecessary in many cases.
• Cognitive Efficiency: Aligning with social norms reduces cognitive load by providing a framework for behavior, allowing individuals to function smoothly within society.
• Reputation and Status: Micro-power mechanisms exploit our evolutionary sensitivity to reputation, where even a single glance, a raised eyebrow, or a subtle gesture can trigger corrective behavior.

Thus, micro-power is particularly effective because it taps into this deeply ingrained tendency. Whether it’s a disapproving look, a passing comment, or social media metrics, individuals instinctively adjust their behavior to align with societal expectations.

Power and Subjectivity: Humans as Both Agents and Subjects of Power

One of Foucault’s most profound insights was that power does not merely act upon individuals; individuals internalize power and become agents of its reinforcement. Here, the evolutionary drive to conform becomes even more evident. People not only conform to social norms but actively enforce them on others — sometimes unconsciously — by policing behavior within their communities.

Examples include:

• Peer Pressure: In schools and social circles, individuals often act as enforcers of norms, encouraging conformity through subtle and overt pressures.
• Public Criticism: Societal expectations and judgments encourage individuals to align their behavior with cultural norms to avoid public disapproval.
• Consumer Culture: Marketing and advertisements subtly guide purchasing behaviors by leveraging social proof — people buy products because they see others doing the same.

This dual role — being both shaped by and shaping power — demonstrates the intricate dance between Foucault’s concept of micro-power and the natural human inclination to conform.

Conclusion: Completing Foucault’s Framework with Evolutionary Insights

Foucault’s exploration of power revolutionized how we understand social control, emphasizing the omnipresence and subtlety of power in our lives. However, to fully grasp why micro-power is so effective, we must incorporate the evolutionary psychology of conformity. Human beings are biologically predisposed to align with social expectations, making micro-power not just a tool of societal governance but an intrinsic part of our survival strategy.

By merging Foucault’s social theory with evolutionary insights, we gain a more comprehensive understanding of the forces that shape our identities, choices, and interactions. Power is not merely something imposed upon us; it is something we carry within us, passed down through both culture and evolution.

Ultimately, understanding the interplay between social structures and biological imperatives allows us to recognize and, perhaps, challenge the invisible forces that guide our everyday lives.