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Big Brother Is Not Watching You

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Submitted By tobi2490
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The phrase ” big brother is watching you” originated from George Orwell's acclaimed novel '1984'. Though it was published in 1949, people acknowledge his work and the book for its very desriptive and frightening story about a surveillance society – or 'the big brother society'.
Now, the british comedian Russell Brand, brought this phrase to life, by commentating on the UK riots; ” Big brother isn't watching you”. He means that no one are watching the rioters.

Russell Brand is known for his stand-up and acting. He is starring for example : ” Forgetting sarah marshall”. As a major name in Hollywood and around the world, it is a bit tricky for him to comment on such things as the riots, but he has done so and tries to explain, why this is happening.
Russell Brand initiates the reader by saying, he no longer lives in London and that he used to work for the reality show 'Big Brother'. Then he comments on 'This week's riots' and says its tragic and frightening. As a part of his fame, he has risen to a level of economic standard, which means, he is not in the 'working class'. He is bothered by the reason that its in exactly this type of enviroment, these sorts of riots arise. At the time, he was one of them, and has lived through these things himself. He thinks that a lot of rioters are in a state of depression in a materialistic way, but as one might say, that their existentialistic journey, to find and approve themselves, may effect those amongst them.

On page 8 l. 42 Russell Brand states that politicians and the upper class doesn't deal with these riots and that they react by saying they are mindless and that what they are doing is ”unjustifiable, unacceptable”.

These statements doesn't fall on the right place, according to Russell Brand. The should attack the problem at the root and not just throw around with words. Try to get the youth , to become a part of the society.

Russell Brand uses a lot of Ethos in his article, because , first of all, he is an englishman. 2nd of all he has lived in these enviroments and therefore he is talking directly to the rioters ' i've tried this, i've tried that'. He frequently draws back towards his own experiences and by that he engages the reader.

He tries to create a bond between the reader and the youth. ” No education, a weakened family unit, no money and no way of getting any”. As a reader i understand these kinds of problems, not in such a way that i've experienced it myself , but none the less i could imagine it very clearly.

But there is not doubt that he is standing behind the youths ; ” 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 is being very sarcastic towards the politicians.

Brand’s background and affiliation is also reflected in his style of writing. Besides the very sarcastic tone, he uses “fucking” two times, which are evidently selected and thought through. He only uses the word when claiming that society has developed the lost youth(a product of society). The first example of the word is when he says that we a surrounded by consumerism and materialism. As a result of this Brand states; “No wonder they have their fucking hoods up.” The second example is kind of simillar . Brand says that is a lot more “than a few fucking pairs of trainers.” He does not misuse the word to the point where the meaning of the word is lost, on the flip-side, he uses it to emphasize a point. Brand’s way of expressing himself as a whole throughout the commentary is very versatile. His vocabulary is very wide and he uses phrases such as “political idealism or rationalism” and slang like “Old Bill” . This versatility creates a sense that he is aware of the subject – both on an academic level and a personal level.
The purpose of this commentary is, as the title implies, to comment on the riots. By choosing a clear version towards the politicians, he provides a different angle on the UK riots. Brand’s focus is not to state that the politicians are mindless, but to create a thought-process find a reason why the riots are occurring.
He is not stating that they are not mindless; but that stating they are mindless at all is the wrong approach.. 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.

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