Big Brother isn’t watching you
The phrase “Big Brother is watching you” is from George Orwell’s novel 1984. The novel, which was published in 1949, gave a very frightening point of view on the so-called Big Brother society, where the surveillance on society would be huge. The British comedian Russell Brand has changed the phrase to: “Big Brother isn’t watching you” in comment of the then recent UK riots, where he thinks that there clearly is no one, who is watching or controlling the riots.
Russell Brand, married to the world famous Katy Perry, is especially known for his role in Get him to the Greek, where his very distinctive British accent brought a smile to every viewer. His comment on the riots is definately in a different genre, where he, with some serious and some sarcastical statements, is trying to define why these riots are occurring. Russell is starting his comment by telling a bit about himself. When he was in his early twenties, he had been participating in various protest. This means that even though he is no longer in the “economic class”, he can still relate to the riots, since he has been part of other riots. This experience from his early life is making him come up with what the reason of the riot could be. When he lived back in London and took part in riots, it was because he felt he was in need for some meaning in his life. Some goal he could go for, or like a direction, he could follow. He is sure that most of the rioting people are having the same problems as he had. However, some of the people rioting were doing it because they were deprived in a materialistic kind of way.
Then Russell Brand is changing his view from the “economic class” to the politicians and the upper class in England. Russell does not think they deal with the uprising rioting in the right way. Where the politicians come call the rioters “unjustifiable” and “unacceptable”. (p. 8, l. 51), Russell thinks that it is the wrong approach to the problem. The politicians should, instead of blaming people, try to ask why the riots are occurring, as Russell is doing. That would bring them closer to the core of the riots, and would help them find a solution to how they could stop the riots. Russell’s proposal to a solution is to aim for the young people, who are lost in society, and bring them back to be a part in today’s society.
Russell Brand’s way of argumentation is full with ethos. All the way through his comment, he is bringing in his own experiences. Even though he is not part of the economic class, and he is living a luxury life in America he still has his English background, which he most defiantly brings up multiple times in the comment. He also has a lot of sympathy towards the young people in the UK and that brings in pathos. For example when he is searching for the meaning of the riots he writes the sentences: “No education, a weakened family unit, no money and no way of getting any”. By mentioning this, he makes the reader get sympathy with the youth. He then turns the pathos around against the politicians and makes the reader side with the youth once again:
“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!” (p. 8, ll. 49-51)
“Wow! Thanks guys!” is really bringing focus on how little Russel wants the reader to emphasize with the politicians and a lot more with the youth. Since it is a very speaking choice of words, so to say, and it is very aggressively loaded, it brings in a lot of pathos once again. This whole part of the text is bringing a lot of focus in one of Russell’s main points: That the politicians do not care about the underclass.
Brand’s background and affiliation is reflected in his style of writing. Besides the very sarcastic tone, he uses “fucking” in two places, which are evidently selected in a very meticulous way. He uses the word when he is talking about the youth, and how the modern society and the government is a big part in the huge problem the lost youth is. Brand states: “No wonder they have their fucking hoods up.” (p. 9, l. 90). He is accusing the upper class for the economic crisis, because their hands are way too free, and they have no boundaries. They will not be stroke by their own mistakes, the economic class will.
The purpose of the text is to comment on the riots in the UK. Russell Brand gives the reader an entire new point of view of the riots. He is making the reader think of the rioters in another way by asking questions why the riots are occurring, instead of thinking of the rioters as brainless anarchists. However, the government think of them that way and they are therefore not caring about them. This leads to the title of his comment “Big Brother isn’t watching you”. Because even though we think the government is watching everything, they simply are not, because they does not care about lower classes.