Big Brother Isn’t Watching You.
Big brother isn’t watching you is a commentary on the UK riots in 2011, written by the famous British actor, Russel Brand. Brand is known for his characteristic British accent, several popular movies, such as “Get Him to the Greek” and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” but also the boyfriend of the famous singer, Katy Perry. He is also a comedian, which he mentions in the commentary. It can also be spotted several places in the text, where he is some how humorous and sarcastic.
For an example where he wrote “I mean even David Cameron came home from his vacation” and “I’ve heard Theresa May and the Old Etonians whose hols have been curtailed (many would say they’re the real victims) saying the behavior is “unjustifiable” and “unacceptable”. Wow! Thanks guys! ” He tells us that he no longer lives i England, but moved to Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles. He was usually not that fond of really TV, until he started working for Big Brother. It got to him, and he described it as “bloody” interesting.
It was also part of his job. Brand uses the famous quote “Big Brother is watching you” by George Orwell, where he depicted a dystopian surveillance society. This phenomenon is now known as a Big Brother society. He then rewrote it, by adding “isn’t”. He is referring to the UK riots, and how no one is watching, and no one is doing anything about it. The rioters are from the underclass, and are not really a part of the society. The politicians and government are from the upper-class and do not ‘see’ them, even when they are rioting.
Frankly, they just ignore them, and this is bothering Brand. He can somehow relate to the young rioters. He himself was from the underclass in his youth (but sure isn’t now), and also took part in some protests and riots. It irritates him that no one is doing anything about the riots. His background is also reflected in his style of writing. Like I said, he is being sarcastic from time to time. But he is also fornicating. He uses the word “fucking” twice.
He is good at reaching out to the reader and makes his point, while it is still interesting. It is also his job to make us like whatever he writes, says and does. Brand’s primary way of argumentation is pathos. He is making us relate to the rioters too, and is some how successful. Roughly, one could also say that he uses ethos. I am referring to the part where he quotes a British first-world-war general “You cannot rouse the animal in man then expect it to be put aside at a moment’s notice”.
The fact that he is using quotes, and knows that it was said by a British first-world-war general. It makes the reader trust the facts he is stating. The rioters are the real victims. They should be looking at causes of the riots, which Brand claims is the government and society ignorance and carelessness towards the youths. In this context the phrase “Big Brother isn’t watching you” is suitable, because Brand believes just that –the government isn’t really watching the rioters.
