Theory

This notion of theory of something that can be a force that causes some sense of inertia or motion and as something that can be malleable itself is quite interesting.  I am referring to the Literary Theory:  A Very Short Introduction by Jonathan Culler.  On page three he states  "the main effects of theory is the disputing of 'common sense': common-sense views about meaning, writing, literature, experience."  Thus theory seems to go through a particular process.  In its genesis it is malleable.  It offers a conceptual mapping of the common place.  Then its life life and teachings, it is forceful, inertia inspiring.  It acts on previous conceptions of the common place or forces a new kind of reflection in a meta-discursive sense.  I can imagine Foucault seeing the prison system as panoptic system of power that balances and normalizes societal inertia.  And then he told someone about it.  Genesis to inertia.