Obama bashes our "toys" (ipad/ipod/ps3/360)

Behshad

Well-known member
Jun 8, 2009
711
4
0
Visit site
:D:p

President Obama's commencement speech Sunday at Hampton University caused a little stir in tech circles after he took a swipe at some of our favorite toys ? "iPods and iPads and PlayStations and Xboxes" ? for turning "information" into a "distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment." Oh, and he admitted that he doesn't know how to make any of them "work," either. Shocking!

Here's the passage of Obama's 2,000-word speech, delivered at the historically black college in Hampton, Va., that got the blogosphere all a-twitter (sorry, couldn't resist):


"And meanwhile, you're coming of age in a 24/7 media environment that bombards us with all kinds of content and exposes us to all kinds of arguments, some of which don't always rank that high on the truth meter. And with iPods and iPads and 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. So all of this is not only putting pressure on you; it's putting new pressure on our country and on our democracy."

So is the president saying that iPods, iPads and PlayStations are bad (as the Inquirer puts it, "on his axis of evil list")? Or is he simply saying we should switch off our Xboxes once in a while and, I dunno, read a book or something?




Wait — did Obama just diss the iPad? - Yahoo! News
 

killthelights32

Well-known member
Apr 26, 2009
78
0
0
Visit site
I think what people seem to forget all the time is that there needs to be a balance. Everything in excess can have negative, or "distracting" results.

Just because vegetables are good for you doesn't mean you should eat them constantly everyday.

iPads, iPhones, iPods, Xboxes and PS3s all allows us to access a wealth of information and allows us to communicate with our friends and family, but for example, hardcore gamers who do nothing but play on the xbox miss out on the communication with people in the real world, and I suppose it can be stretched to iPods and iPads.

But if Obama decides to ban these, all I can say is I'm thankful I don't live in the States. :p
 

ugahairydawgs

Well-known member
Apr 13, 2010
50
0
0
Visit site
Ironic seeing as how he nearly got in a slap fight with his staff and the Secret Service over his insistence on keeping his Blackberry.
 

iquinn

Well-known member
Jul 4, 2009
528
18
0
Visit site
Man it is sad when people can't understand things. He was not dissing any one device, just saying that there needs to be a balance in peoples lives. And on that point I agree with him. I have friends who play on XBOX Live for 8-10hrs a day and all I can think about is how much of their lives they are wasting. Don't get me wrong I am a gamer but I also have a life and go outside and do things.
 

Behshad

Well-known member
Jun 8, 2009
711
4
0
Visit site
Man it is sad when people can't understand things. He was not dissing any one device, just saying that there needs to be a balance in peoples lives. And on that point I agree with him. I have friends who play on XBOX Live for 8-10hrs a day and all I can think about is how much of their lives they are wasting. Don't get me wrong I am a gamer but I also have a life and go outside and do things.

If your post is aimed at me, I did understand it, but as I explained above, nothing wrong with add a little spin to it to make it a bigger news than it actually is.
Its called sarcasm. Look into it if you get a chance to, gamer ;)
 

Jellotime91

Well-known member
Jan 4, 2009
2,430
71
0
Visit site
But if Obama decides to ban these, all I can say is I'm thankful I don't live in the States. :p

If you think the leader of a democratic country has the power to ban a harmless electronic for no reason, I shudder to think of what country or dictatorship rather that you live in O_O...
 

ghostface147

Well-known member
Oct 1, 2009
3,723
153
0
Visit site
I don't see the big deal. He makes sense. I don't see kids playing in the streets like I used to as a kid. Now they are all stuck online playing MW2 against everyone else. Now I know it's not all the fault of those devices because parenting has a role in it as well. However I don't think those console companies should shove their ads down kids' throats on Nick, Nick Jr, or whatever stations the kids watch these days.
 

applejosh

Well-known member
Sep 26, 2009
655
9
0
Visit site
I (admittedly) hastily read the speech, and I don't see anywhere in there where he was implying that these devices should be banned. As others have stated, I think he was trying to communicate that we're in a society where we can be (and often are) bombarded with information 24/7. Sometimes you just need to step away from the phone/Xbox/whatever, and take a look around. Balance is key in just about everything. I often find myself overly absorbed with various media and blogs and such, but luckily I have a wife who not only understands my need for gadgets, geekery, and information but also knows when I need to put it down, go outside, and unplug for a while. Keeps me from going insane. (Or at least any more insane.)
 

iquinn

Well-known member
Jul 4, 2009
528
18
0
Visit site
If your post is aimed at me, I did understand it, but as I explained above, nothing wrong with add a little spin to it to make it a bigger news than it actually is.
Its called sarcasm. Look into it if you get a chance to, gamer ;)

My post was aimed at no one, just a general post. If I had wanted to aim it at someone I would have quoted them as I am doing now. I think the whole thing is pretty funny really. I would suggest that you look into not taking things so personal. Just a thought.
 

lungho

Well-known member
Jun 20, 2009
910
6
0
Visit site
Can anybody not see the contradiction in this speech? In one particular instance Obama says,

"And with iPods and iPads and 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."

The guy owns an iPod. Hell, even his iPod playlist has been printed in Rolling Stone Magazine. Furthermore, the whole quote sounds like something a communist dictator would say to his people.

I challenge all of you to educate yourselves (if you haven't already) and read Saul Alinsky's book, Rules for Radicals. There are some polarizing parallels between this book and the current regime in Washington.
 

Behshad

Well-known member
Jun 8, 2009
711
4
0
Visit site
Can anybody not see the contradiction in this speech? In one particular instance Obama says,

"And with iPods and iPads and 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."

The guy owns an iPod. Hell, even his iPod playlist has been printed in Rolling Stone Magazine. Furthermore, the whole quote sounds like something a communist dictator would say to his people.

I challenge all of you to educate yourselves (if you haven't already) and read Saul Alinsky's book, Rules for Radicals. There are some polarizing parallels between this book and the current regime in Washington.

What he means is, if you buy an ipod or ipad, try NOT to learn how to use it, as it may distract you from real world :p
 

Jellotime91

Well-known member
Jan 4, 2009
2,430
71
0
Visit site
Oh my gosh.. Lungho, I really hope you're being sarcastic. Please don't take this to turn Obama into a communist. People can be so damn ridiculous.
 

iquinn

Well-known member
Jul 4, 2009
528
18
0
Visit site
How about fixing the country like you promised you would before blaming technology. Like fixing our joke of an enducation system. You know japan and korea both have very good education and they have an even higher influx of technology that the USA.

Dude, not to be mean but this is not the right place for a post like that. No politics please.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
259,997
Messages
1,765,281
Members
441,219
Latest member
MadisonOlsen