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Part of a series on Nineteen Eighty-Four / 1984. [View Related Entries]


Related Explainer: What Is The 'Big Brother Is Watching You' Meme On TikTok? The Meaning Of The Viral '1984' Memes Explained


About

Big Brother Is Watching You refers to a series of memes using an illustration by Jonathan Burton of a man looking out his window at buildings covered in posters reading "Big Brother is watching you," a reference to the novel 1984 by George Orwell. The artwork was drawn by Burton in late 2014 and became the subject of memes in late 2024, particularly on TikTok, in which the illustration, along with several others, are used to react to something that is restrictive in nature, ironically comparing the subject to 1984. The meme is typically set to the Papers, Please theme song and is similar to the "living in 1984" format.

Origin

On December 17th, 2014, artist Jonathan Burton shared a print based on 1984 to his Instagram[1] page, jonathanburtondraws, garnering around 25 likes in 10 years. The artwork is part of a series of 1984-inspired art by Burton, which later made the 2015 World Illustration Awards shortlist.[2]

BIG BROT WALL BIG BE SWATC BIG BROTHER LIS WATCHING YOU NCSOC

On October 29th, 2024, TikToker[3] @theonewithmemes posted a meme set to the Papers, Please theme song in which an illustration of a man wandering by a wall full of "Big Brother is watching you" posters is attached to an image of a sign reading, "please no pooping in the urinal," garnering over 160,000 views in a month. This is the earliest known instance of the meme, but is not confirmed to be the true original iteration.

BROTHER PLEASE NO POOPING IN THE URINAL TCHING YOU WATCHIN BIG BROTHER WATCHING YOU

On November 12th, TikToker[4] @jeremyc15_ posted a similar meme in which the Jonathan Burton artwork showing the man looking out his window to see the posters is placed after a photo of a sign asking people not to use their phones in the bathroom, garnering over 13.9 million views in a week.

NO PHONES IN THE BATHROOM If you are in the bathroom for more than 10 minutes manager will conduct a smell test and if they do not smell any number 2 you will be written up management D MOTH WATCH 6-59 659 1975 BROTH BIG BROTH WATCHING BIG BE IS WATC BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU NCSOC

Spread

The format garnered viral spread over the following days. On November 14th, 2024, TikToker[5] @z3qulx posted the meme alongside a photo of a sign asking people not to wash their balls in Baja Blast, garnering over 1.8 million views in a week. On November 15th, TikToker[6] @mrs.toosigma posted a version of the meme in which the Burton art is attached to a sign asking employees not to pleasure themselves while on the clock, garnering over 1.6 million views in a similar span of time.

7 BIG BROTH WATCHING BROTH L De PLEASE DON'T Carry WASH YOU'RE BALLS IN THE BAJA BLAST -MGMT G MOTH WATCH E B CE PUZ THE BIG BE IS WATC BIG BROTHER LIS WATCHING YOU NCSOC

The meme also started to garner viral spread on sites like X[7] and Reddit[8] that month, although no known examples garnered a significant number of interactions.

On November 22nd, TikToker[9] @midnighttmarvel posted a version of the meme in which the Burton art is attached to a poster asking moviegoers not to cheer when Maria dies during Sonic the Hedgehog 3, garnering over 6.5 million views in three days.

TO OUR GUESTS SEEING SONIC3 THE OCENOG Please Do Not Cheer for A Child Being Murdered From one Flashback Scene (The Internet is Stupid Of you People) A MOTH WATCHE 1945 65-9 BROT 1925 BIG BROTH WATCHING D BIG BE IS WATC BIG BROTHER LIS WATCHING YOU NCSOC

Various Examples

6-59 There is to be absolutely NO Masturbating while on the clock. ALL employees must clock out or masturbate on their own time. Thank you O MOTH B 52K BROTH BIG BROTH WAZCHING D BIG BE IS WATC BIG BROTHER LIS WATCHING YOU NCSOC
I went to a private school where you weren't allowed to have your phone on you. One day the vice principal bursts into a classroom and says in a panic "quick, I need to use someone's phone!" 10 kids got detention and their phones confiscated. 量 BIG B WATC BIG BROTHER LIS. WATCHING YOU
PLEASE DO NOT POOP IN THE ROCKS WE CAN'T BELIEVE WE HAD TO MAKE THIS SIGN. D MOTH FL BROTH WHE BIG BROTH WAZENG BIG BE IS WATC BIG BROTHER LIS WATCHING YOU NCSOC
Dear Person Who Can't Seem to Stop Pooping All Over the Walls and Floor, 6-59 We have finally figured out who you are. For several weeks now, we have been cleaning up the daily Poop-Ageddon you leave us to deal with. We have cleaned your poop off the walls, the outside of the toilet, and all over the floor. Not only do we not enjoy this chore, but it's an enormous drain on our resources. I have left you a bucket with gloves, disinfectant, and everything else you need to leave no trace. This will be your last day at Campers Village if you fail to clean up your own poop. Sincerely, Not Joking, I Know Who You Are. G MOTH S BROTH BIG BROTH WATCHING BIG BE IS WATC BIG BROTHER LIS WATCHING YOU NGSOC

Living In 1984

Living in 1984 refers to a comic by political cartoonist Gary Varvel depicting a man hearing about Donald Trump's Twitter account getting suspended and Parler being removed from app stores while turning his calendar and discovering the year is 1984. This is a reference to George Orwell's 1984, which has become a common reference among conservatives while discussing what they believe is censorship. However, the reference has been mocked as ill-fitting by observers, resulting in the Wow, This Is Just Like 1984 meme. Varvel's comic has been used as an exploitable online with users replacing the wife's text.

Search Interest

External References

[1] Instagram – jonathanburtondraws

[2] WIA – Nineteen Eighty Four

[3] TikTok – theonewithmemes

[4] TikTok – jeremyc15_

[5] TikTok – z3qulx

[6] TikTok – mrs.toosigma

[7] X – HOTGIRLSEONGHWA

[8] Reddit – TheyBlamedTheBeasts

[9] TikTok – midnighttmarvel



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Living in 1984
Goodfp1984
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Big Brother Is Watching You image example.

Big Brother Is Watching You

Part of a series on Nineteen Eighty-Four / 1984. [View Related Entries]

Updated Nov 25, 2024 at 04:00PM EST by Zach.

Added Nov 25, 2024 at 11:39AM EST by Phillip Hamilton.

PROTIP: Press 'i' to view the image gallery, 'v' to view the video gallery, or 'r' to view a random entry.

Related Explainer: What Is The 'Big Brother Is Watching You' Meme On TikTok? The Meaning Of The Viral '1984' Memes Explained

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You can help confirm this entry by contributing facts, media, and other evidence of notability and mutation.

About

Big Brother Is Watching You refers to a series of memes using an illustration by Jonathan Burton of a man looking out his window at buildings covered in posters reading "Big Brother is watching you," a reference to the novel 1984 by George Orwell. The artwork was drawn by Burton in late 2014 and became the subject of memes in late 2024, particularly on TikTok, in which the illustration, along with several others, are used to react to something that is restrictive in nature, ironically comparing the subject to 1984. The meme is typically set to the Papers, Please theme song and is similar to the "living in 1984" format.

Origin

On December 17th, 2014, artist Jonathan Burton shared a print based on 1984 to his Instagram[1] page, jonathanburtondraws, garnering around 25 likes in 10 years. The artwork is part of a series of 1984-inspired art by Burton, which later made the 2015 World Illustration Awards shortlist.[2]


BIG BROT WALL BIG BE SWATC BIG BROTHER LIS WATCHING YOU NCSOC

On October 29th, 2024, TikToker[3] @theonewithmemes posted a meme set to the Papers, Please theme song in which an illustration of a man wandering by a wall full of "Big Brother is watching you" posters is attached to an image of a sign reading, "please no pooping in the urinal," garnering over 160,000 views in a month. This is the earliest known instance of the meme, but is not confirmed to be the true original iteration.


BROTHER PLEASE NO POOPING IN THE URINAL TCHING YOU WATCHIN BIG BROTHER WATCHING YOU

On November 12th, TikToker[4] @jeremyc15_ posted a similar meme in which the Jonathan Burton artwork showing the man looking out his window to see the posters is placed after a photo of a sign asking people not to use their phones in the bathroom, garnering over 13.9 million views in a week.


NO PHONES IN THE BATHROOM If you are in the bathroom for more than 10 minutes manager will conduct a smell test and if they do not smell any number 2 you will be written up management D MOTH WATCH 6-59 659 1975 BROTH BIG BROTH WATCHING BIG BE IS WATC BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU NCSOC

Spread

The format garnered viral spread over the following days. On November 14th, 2024, TikToker[5] @z3qulx posted the meme alongside a photo of a sign asking people not to wash their balls in Baja Blast, garnering over 1.8 million views in a week. On November 15th, TikToker[6] @mrs.toosigma posted a version of the meme in which the Burton art is attached to a sign asking employees not to pleasure themselves while on the clock, garnering over 1.6 million views in a similar span of time.


7 BIG BROTH WATCHING BROTH L De PLEASE DON'T Carry WASH YOU'RE BALLS IN THE BAJA BLAST -MGMT G MOTH WATCH E B CE PUZ THE BIG BE IS WATC BIG BROTHER LIS WATCHING YOU NCSOC

The meme also started to garner viral spread on sites like X[7] and Reddit[8] that month, although no known examples garnered a significant number of interactions.

On November 22nd, TikToker[9] @midnighttmarvel posted a version of the meme in which the Burton art is attached to a poster asking moviegoers not to cheer when Maria dies during Sonic the Hedgehog 3, garnering over 6.5 million views in three days.

TO OUR GUESTS SEEING SONIC3 THE OCENOG Please Do Not Cheer for A Child Being Murdered From one Flashback Scene (The Internet is Stupid Of you People) A MOTH WATCHE 1945 65-9 BROT 1925 BIG BROTH WATCHING D BIG BE IS WATC BIG BROTHER LIS WATCHING YOU NCSOC


Various Examples


6-59 There is to be absolutely NO Masturbating while on the clock. ALL employees must clock out or masturbate on their own time. Thank you O MOTH B 52K BROTH BIG BROTH WAZCHING D BIG BE IS WATC BIG BROTHER LIS WATCHING YOU NCSOC I went to a private school where you weren't allowed to have your phone on you. One day the vice principal bursts into a classroom and says in a panic "quick, I need to use someone's phone!" 10 kids got detention and their phones confiscated. 量 BIG B WATC BIG BROTHER LIS. WATCHING YOU PLEASE DO NOT POOP IN THE ROCKS WE CAN'T BELIEVE WE HAD TO MAKE THIS SIGN. D MOTH FL BROTH WHE BIG BROTH WAZENG BIG BE IS WATC BIG BROTHER LIS WATCHING YOU NCSOC Dear Person Who Can't Seem to Stop Pooping All Over the Walls and Floor, 6-59 We have finally figured out who you are. For several weeks now, we have been cleaning up the daily Poop-Ageddon you leave us to deal with. We have cleaned your poop off the walls, the outside of the toilet, and all over the floor. Not only do we not enjoy this chore, but it's an enormous drain on our resources. I have left you a bucket with gloves, disinfectant, and everything else you need to leave no trace. This will be your last day at Campers Village if you fail to clean up your own poop. Sincerely, Not Joking, I Know Who You Are. G MOTH S BROTH BIG BROTH WATCHING BIG BE IS WATC BIG BROTHER LIS WATCHING YOU NGSOC

Living In 1984

Living in 1984 refers to a comic by political cartoonist Gary Varvel depicting a man hearing about Donald Trump's Twitter account getting suspended and Parler being removed from app stores while turning his calendar and discovering the year is 1984. This is a reference to George Orwell's 1984, which has become a common reference among conservatives while discussing what they believe is censorship. However, the reference has been mocked as ill-fitting by observers, resulting in the Wow, This Is Just Like 1984 meme. Varvel's comic has been used as an exploitable online with users replacing the wife's text.

Search Interest

External References

[1] Instagram – jonathanburtondraws

[2] WIA – Nineteen Eighty Four

[3] TikTok – theonewithmemes

[4] TikTok – jeremyc15_

[5] TikTok – z3qulx

[6] TikTok – mrs.toosigma

[7] X – HOTGIRLSEONGHWA

[8] Reddit – TheyBlamedTheBeasts

[9] TikTok – midnighttmarvel

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Recent Images 14 total



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