Obama Lashes Out At Modern Media

[Patranus]

US President Barack Obama lamented Sunday that in the iPad and Xbox era, information had become a diversion that was imposing new strains on democracy, in his latest critique of modern media.

Obama, who often chides journalists and cable news outlets for obsessing with political horse race coverage rather than serious issues, told a class of graduating university students that education was the key to progress.

"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 all that high on the truth meter," Obama said at Hampton University, Virginia.

"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," Obama said.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hcoyG-Ck3-VwZB7fqpUFXbffoObg


In other news

2008: Hoping to grab the attention of young voters, that Obama campaign has placed political ads in video games.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/vi...ises_in_video_games_during_2008_election.html

Gotta love this guy.

(So he doesn't know how an xbox, playstation, or iPad works but when bush makes similar comments.....)

 

[Noobtastic]

Is this guy a rha-tard?

just because technology can be used for entertainment doesn't mean it is an intellectual "diversion."

computers, mobile phones, portable music players, video game consoles...etc are all tools of empowerment.

they can be abused like anything else, if that is what obama is bitching about.

 

[Elias824]

We really need some form of agency that tells us what news is appropriate and accurate, and tells us where we can put it and what they need to report on. It would make things so much simpler.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Seeing how he uses a Blackberry, one of the most PITA devices to make work in the history of man, I think the whole "don't know how an xbox works" comment was just some lame humor lost in transcription.

 

[Balt]

If he's suggesting that people should educate and inform themselves so they can separate the wheat from the chaff in the media, then he's absolutely right.

I don't know why anyone would disagree with that, especially conservatives who think the liberal media is out to get them.

 

[sandorski]

If he's suggesting that people should educate and inform themselves so they can separate the wheat from the chaff in the media, then he's absolutely right.

I don't know why anyone would disagree with that, especially conservatives who think the liberal media is out to get them.

They are told to. From some of the very Fail Obama was talking about.

Pre-Packaged Rage, just watch for 5 minutes and be enraged for a Day!

 

[Danube]

Obama's Michigan speech was full of complaints about free speech as well. He's itching to stifle critics and put a lid on free speech.

 

[CycloWizard]

If he's suggesting that people should educate and inform themselves so they can separate the wheat from the chaff in the media, then he's absolutely right.

I don't know why anyone would disagree with that, especially conservatives who think the liberal media is out to get them.

This. I'm hardly an Obama fan, but it sounds like he's just telling these kids not to believe everything they hear.

My normal response to this would also be, "why is he doing spending time giving a commencement speech? Doesn't he have anything better to do?" As I had never heard of Hampton U, I looked it up just for fun:

While our roots reach deep into the history of this nation and the African-American experience, our sights – like yours – are set squarely on the horizons of the global community of the 21st century.

Source: http://www.hamptonu.edu/about/

Now it starts to make sense. It's also close enough to DC (in VA) that he didn't have to fly.

As far as advertising in video games goes, I don't think everyone on his campaign staff was an old fart ignorant of electronic entertainment. Someone had the bright idea to take out video game ads.

Thus, my verdict is: 404 - outrage not found.

 

[Hacp]

Outrageous. Instead of spending his precious time working to cut spending and create jobs, he instead decides to spend two afternoons the past two week doing what he does best; looking pretty and using the teleprompter.

 

[ProfJohn]

It is tradition for the President to make commencement speeches. Anyone who questions him doing this is being foolish.

It is kind of ironic though that a guy who became President because of the modern media would lash out at that same media.

He wouldn't be President had the media not fallen so madly in love with him.

 

[ProfJohn]

double.... damn vb

 

[jackschmittusa]

How does anyone intemperate what he said as bashing? Beats me.

 

[Linflas]

Seeing how he uses a Blackberry, one of the most PITA devices to make work in the history of man, I think the whole "don't know how an xbox works" comment was just some lame humor lost in transcription.

Do you really think he makes it work? I supported Blackberries while working on a government contract and I can assure you the end user has very little to do with making a Blackberry work. He doesn't have to know much more than how to turn it on and navigate through the interface.

 

[GarfieldtheCat]

From the article:

"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 all that high on the truth meter," Obama said at Hampton University, Virginia.

Why would anyone have a problem with this? Doesn't just about everyone on this forum complain about the media (either Fox or CNN, depending)?

And given that so many "news" stories are about Paris Hilton, or whoever is the celebrity du jour, is he not right?

I mean, don't we all know that 9/11 was ordered by Bush, Obama is a secret Kenyan Muslim? That the moon landings were faked? I don't want to hear news stories about provably false incidents.

 

[KMFJD]

Outrageous. Instead of spending his precious time working to cut spending and create jobs, he instead decides to spend two afternoons the past two week doing what he does best; looking pretty and using the teleprompter.

 

[ayabe]

OP is just outraged that Obama thinks his sources are crap - like most of us.

 

[umbrella39]

(So he doesn't know how an xbox, playstation, or iPad works but when bush makes similar comments.....)

But , but, but Bush.... Grow up little boy.

 

[Cogman]

Don't really disagree with what he is saying. People focus too much on whats popular, and not enough on whats important, which translates into months long "news" reports on paris hilton or michael jackson.

 

[Tristicus]

GAF, I don't.

 

[Mani]

Do you disagree with him? Do you think the modern media is empowering the public with information as opposed to entertainment and sound bytes (and that includes news outlets)?

 

[Moonbeam]

Here come the America haters attacking the President of the United States like the little Commie scum they are, little nattering nabobs of negativity.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I've no problem with what he's saying, but out of curiosity I wonder what "truth" is to Obama. I'm not picking on him specifically, but the world seems to start and end at the beltway even when DC politicians leave it. The agenda defines reality for some here. How much more for those who make it?

 

[nick1985]

So he lashes out against technology being bad for democracy...yet thats a huge reason why he won the presidency.

 

[Mani]

I've no problem with what he's saying, but out of curiosity I wonder what "truth" is to Obama. I'm not picking on him specifically, but the world seems to start and end at the beltway even when DC politicians leave it. The agenda defines reality for some here. How much more for those who make it?

I can't say I blame him. If people believed everything they read on what passes for media these days they would think he is a terrorist black power muslim who is a marxist in cahoots with goldman sachs and was secretly born in Kenya.

 

[nick1985]

I can't say I blame him. If people believed everything they read on what passes for media these days they would think he is a terrorist black power muslim who is a marxist in cahoots with goldman sachs and was secretly born in Kenya.

If people believed everything from the media, what would they think of the Tea Party?