At his commencement speech over the weekend at Hampton University, President Obama took some time out from inspiring a generation to lay the presidential slam down on video games, iPads and other "distractions."
"With iPods and iPads; Xboxes and PlayStations -- none of which I know how to work -- information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation," Obama said. "All of this is not only putting new pressures on you. It is putting new pressures on our country and on our democracy," he added.
Obama also said an education can help people make sense of the different viewpoints and voices "clamoring for attention on blogs, on cable, on talk radio."
It's hard to argue with the characterization of video games as distractions -- that's the whole point -- but the iPad? That seems to me to be more of a tool than anything else. My doctor uses an iPad to quickly reference medical information before he writes prescriptions. Also, it's hard to take someone seriously after he says he doesn't know how to work the things he's putting down.
What do you guys think? Are you having trouble making sense of all the media voices out there? Are you being distracted right now, by these very words?
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pyromaster222
I respectifully disagree with Obama, if he does not know how to use the device I highly doubt that he can fully and accurately make an assumption on whether or not the device can or cannot be a tool for information empowerment.
kane419
Obamas ears are distracting.
kane419
I'm getting tired of the use of "slam" in headlines.
GingerKid
HAHA you Americans are so stupid, have fun with your failing economy, failing health care system and your oil slick.
Darkstorn
Obama doesn't understand what he's saying. I agree with him that video games are a negative influence on the education of the young people in this country, but what gives? Gaming is only going to become more popular and mainstream, and Obama's got to get with the times.
As for those saying Obama is 'taking us to socialism,' please define socialism before spouting your mouth off. Socialism is a vast field of ideologies, including everything from Western European social democracies to the Nazi Party. Be specific.
Skullz930
I think we've smarten up. I mean when he was voted on as president his approval rate was around 90%. Now it's at around 30%, and besides we need a form of entertainment to get through these terrible times (Entertainment made so much money during The Great Depression as a way to get away from all the stress) that he doesn't want take any responsibility for. "I inherited these problems from Bush". I don't care if that's true or not, why is our president making excuses and pointing fingers like a 5 year old. Obama should have never been president for the simple fact he isn't qualified. Look at his credentials, next to nothing. I'm not saying McCain would have done so much better but he had a resume that was much more impressive than Obama's. So while our unemployment rate is at around 14% he's on ESPN doing fantasy drafts and talking about video games/etc. No wonder nothing's getting done. We have a celebrity as a president. And for doing nothing......he's wins a Nobel peace prize........*cricket *cricket. A bunch of liberal supporters.
vash20
Who cares, everybody going to for get about this in a week.
Th3_R0ltz
Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted. Plus, it's only a distraction if you're not a contributing member of society and said 'pressured' individuals are all play and no work, opposed to all work and no play. Perhaps it is him who is the one being distracted by all of these gadgets and games, because he did say that he didn't know how they worked.
giantgram
If his message is that information should be empowering, why bother to mention video games that he never played or devices that he never used. He needs a new speechwriter.
chargers72
speaking of distraction how bout you do one thing as president that you promised during your campaign.
krypto74
Hey, is it time to get out all the old Dubya criticisms and cross out Dubya and replace with Obama?
rthayil41992
don't worry Mr. President, Mac products don't make sense to anyone.
I understand what he's trying to say but i don't think it came out right =/ makes him look bad towards the younger generation which is supposed to be more liberal/ probama.
GingerKid
All Obama is trying to say is that there is so many sources of information out there now, that you should make sure you are educated about the REAL facts before you make up your mind. All this new technology give idiots like Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck and other Republican Religious freaks huge platforms to spout their rhetoric. EDUCATE YOURSELF!!!
patrickct
Noob!
waterlizard
It just doesn't make sense. Here's a man who during his candidacy claims he's a techno junkie and laments that he will miss his Blackberry. The White House is pushing the technological edge to increase the size of their voter base with the youth and minority blocks (quiet similar to what GWB did in 2000, but failed to catch on with the rest of the Republican Party), AND then the man turns right around and badmouths the same technology. Where is the long or short term logic to his statements? Did someone turn his teleprompter off again?
raymondb1981
What I don't understand is that before he started in office he was more on the side of video games. I think this situation was taken out of context. If he meant it's a distraction while trying to get an education then yes I agree. However if he meant it some other way then he must not have read what was written for him. Either way not able to use what your putting down is not a good way to win an arguement.
elgranconde
obamas is starting to sound like Hugo Chavez
UltimaBlackMage
Honestly I think he should actually try using the items before he puts them down. I bet if you GAVE him an iPad he'd use it for everything. I'd agree with him if he or his family used the stuff he puts down, but without actual experience it seems like he's talking out the wrong end. Video games are intended as a distraction, just like television and sports. They distract us from boring, mundane life and responsible people exercise moderation for such activities. Either way he seems like he's may be a hypocrite because doesn't he use Twitter frequently?
patrickct
Well Mr. Obama I think you should be worried about the oil spill.
Jeespot
He's not completely wrong, and i'm not an Obama fanboy. I'm in college, and as my curriculum gets harder I notice that its extremely hard to focus on video games as well as my studies. More accurately, I should say that I am not focusing as much as I can on my studies because i'm constantly making a routine of spending a few hours a week playing something. Not to mention seeing my brother and countless other avid gamers that need to stop playing games past the age of 25 in order to keep their bills paid. It's an unfortunate reality, one that is hard for me to accept since i consider myself a pretty hardcore gamer since the Atari days. It isn't a mystery that a lot of people in this nations are preoccupied by "nothing" basically. We're too comfortable and a lot of us don't even realize it. I'm not saying we need to give up all of our sources of entertainment, but cutting back a bit wouldn't hurt. Especially for the kids that spend 40+ hours a week playing. It's also scary how im starting to sound like a grown up when I was the kid that hated any form of anti-game talk. weird
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