Obama: iPods, iPads, Xboxes putting pressure on democracy

Mike Bantick
Tuesday, 11 May 2010 13:13

Opinion and Analysis

In what sounds more like the utterances of his predecessor, President of the U.S, Barack Obama has labelled the use of devices such as iPods, iPads, Xboxes and PlayStations as a distraction. In particular a distraction that is bad for the country and democracy in general.

 

 

Gamesindustry.biz is reporting on a recent speech made to students at Hampton University in Virginia. During the talk, and perhaps the report is somewhat lacking context, Obama seems to go off on a rather oblique tangent.

"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 told the students.

"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," he added.

"All of this is not only putting new pressures on you, it is putting new pressures on our country and on our democracy," he continued.

The report continued: Obama's address warned that the US was under greater threat than ever from well-educated foreign workers, as he implied that modern entertainment and media could leave the country at a disadvantage.

It is not the first time the Pres has lambasted video-game console use in particular, telling the young-uns to put away the Xbox (and presumably join the armed forces instead). That particular comment elicited a response from Microsoft at the time.