Creating distance within the family a good idea?

My father is a very strict man and expects a great deal, academically, from my younger brother and myself. I am the eldest, and my brother is two years younger. I'm 19 and I'm very independent and value my freedom. My brother is still young and in some ways immature about certain things like employment and his independence. My father is especially strict on my brother and always criticizes him and the things he does wrong. He's treated with less respect than me and my baby brother. I want my dad to stop treating us unequally from each other, but he can be very stubborn and has extreme pride. I figure if I distance myself and my brother from him, he might seek to find an answer as to why we are acting the way we do. But I'm not too sure yet. Please help. I need some opinions on how to teach my father that we should all be treated equally, and he needs to give my brother a break.