By: Moboluwarin Ogunleye

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU. Rest easy, this isn’t 1984, Oceania. Nor is this a certain house we shall not be speaking of. Welcome to a certain scholastic city, where BIG BROTHER presides over everything and BIG BROTHER decides all. Now, you might be wondering “ who is BIG BROTHER? ” Well, that information is what I would like to call ‘quantum’. i.e If you don’t know, then don’t worry about it. But then again, concern yourselves not with who BIG BROTHER is, but what BIG BROTHER does.

 I warned you at the very beginning of this piece that BIG BROTHER was keeping an eye on you. Aren’t you curious about how it happened? BIG BROTHER has set up surveillance all around us in every direction. to keep an eye on us while we are here, to keep an eye on us while we are there, to keep an eye on all we do. And I don’t know how you feel about it, but I believe it’s a great idea. What do you think? What a valuable lesson in life to learn how to be watched at all times, which is something that it teaches us. It most certainly instills in me excellent characteristics such as distrust, anxiety, and paranoia, which is fantastic, isn’t it? 

So, before you continue with me on this piece, I’d like to warn you that I’m not writing this to dispute with BIG BROTHER on their acts; in fact, I’m a huge proponent for it. I’d also like to say that before you continue with me on this piece, I’d like to ask — What is there to dislike about it? BIG BROTHER asserts that they are watching us in order to protect us, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve always wished there was a method to definitively determine whether or not something that I suspected of being a crime, actually was, in fact, criminal activity. For instance, if someone takes something from me, I now have a way to determine whether it was my own carelessness that led to the loss or whether I was genuinely the victim of a theft.

One further reason why I adore this so much is that, due to constraints and other factors, BIG BROTHER’s surveillance won’t be connected to a 24-hour electricity supply. Instead, they will rely on the power from above in order to reduce the amount of vandalism and criminal activity. Everyone has high hopes that the very existence of surveillance cameras will prompt people to reconsider their decision to breach the law or cause a disturbance. The public is also reassured by BIG BROTHER that the cameras are not installed with the intention of monitoring their actions in any way, especially considering how inefficient the cameras are. With the implementation of this creative and frugal solution, BIG BROTHER anticipates a sizeable reduction in the number of reported crimes as well as an improvement in the level of public satisfaction.

Surveillance is cheaper than hiring actual guards and apparently, BIG BROTHER agrees.  You will only be responsible for paying the one-time costs of installation and maintenance, which are significantly less expensive than the costs of paying human workers’ salaries and benefits. Moreover, cameras do not get injured, take breaks for vacation, or participate in labor strikes. They put in work around the clock, every single day of the year, without ever complaining or requesting a pay raise. And not only is surveillance cheaper, but it is also more effective. They are able to record everything that occurs in high definition and cover a bigger area than actual security guards. You have the ability to playback, rewind, and zoom in on whatever footage you wish. You may also connect them to a central control room or a mobile device, which will allow you to see events as they happen in real-time or review occurrences from the past. 

You can also employ facial recognition software or motion sensors (because we definitely have this) to keep tabs on any questionable activity or unauthorized entrance. This will keep you informed immediately. But BIG BROTHER is not actually going to do this, and that is what makes them so perfect.

So, let us be happy with our newfound safety and security from our ever-so-thoughtful leaders. They also offer us a never-ending source of amusement and opportunities to improve ourselves by teaching us from our errors. Who doesn’t enjoy watching oneself on TV, especially when they are caught doing something embarrassing or illegal? And lastly, have fun. But remember, BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.