President Obama metformin weight loss reviews came out at the Hampton University graduation commencement to let us know EXACTLY what he thinks about this digital age.
He doesn’t understand it.
He doesn’t like it.
He believes that you should get your information from the mainstream media and from schooling run by, surprise, folks who believe as he does to a large extent.
This is the system that has largely made sure you don’t understand how politics works, how government works, who your representatives are and what not.
How did they do that? Simple. First – as in many schools, many of the teachers that I had that taught politics, civics, history and what not were people who weren’t, for lack of a better term, stellar and exciting teachers. Many were coaches who would just have you read a chapter a week in class and occasionally have quizzes.
People who get bored with things like this don’t learn.
People who don’t understand something either blow it off or fear it’s complications.
It is really simple. True – there needs to be a personal level of responsibility to learn about this as well – but if the schools don’t help teach it or play it down or gloss over it – why should citizens care? It isn’t important enough to learn about in our school system – who understands it anyway? It’s not that big a deal – they’re all dirty anyway. Right?
Now – here we have a President who is attacking the digital generation, and in a large part it seems he is proving my point about fearing something you don’t understand:
“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.
Emancipation from what, my dear Mr. Obama? Capitalism? Liberty?
How about freedom from being spoon fed what certain groups want us to hear – from the big three media, the newspapers, the teachers unions, the unions in general, PBS and NPR?
See – that’s what they don’t want. People turning over rocks and learning. What is under there? What happens if we do this versus that? Does the light go off when you shut the door? How does the magician do that trick? What is the truth behind what will happen if we keep spending this much money? How are people affected by this bill? Why do you write legislation so convoluted?
They forget that they were using the internet for this before we were – but now the conservatives and Republicans and right centrists are learning more and more at a fearsome rate. The left, the true progressives, fear the questions being asked. That’s the problem.
Here is another point of contention for the President:
He bemoaned the fact that “some of the craziest claims can quickly claim traction,” in the clamor of certain blogs and talk radio outlets.
“All of this is not only putting new pressures on you, it is putting new pressures on our country and on our democracy.”
The craziest claims, like detention camps and things like that? How about your truther friends trying to prove that a plane disappeared right around the time something hit the Pentagon – the radar from everywhere in the area saw it happen, but no – your friends think it was a missile fired by the military into the wall of the Pentagon to incite the country to invade Iraq for oil costs to go down that have instead gone up? All the different secret society questions? Most of these are shot down in two minutes or two days.
If you knew how to work it instead of just hearing briefings about “those crazy teabaggers” you might understand. But, as people made fun of Bush for being isolated, you’re feeling it now too, aren’t you?
Or crazy things like learning about your czars, your friends, political information that is questioning YOU and your views rather than being led around like sheep?
The information superhighway is just that – and the neat thing of it is – most people who are whacked are already that way and don’t need the net to get their voice out. On the left or the right. There are extremists everywhere. Though, unlike the right, you choose to paint all of us trying to examine what we see as bad policy and bring facts and math to the table for explanations from you as extremists who are loons of the internet.
Some of us do our research or learn about things like health care and the facts behind the issues without just trying to pass an ideology for no better reason than political control, sir. Some of us aren’t trying to ram things down the throats of the American people when polls consistently show that you didn’t have the support of the people, all just to garner more support for your party and ideology by buying votes with other people’s money.
What makes me chuckle was the part of the speech I appreciated, though I think you’ll see the irony in two things:
1) he argues his own point down
2) I did the research and put both the good and bad in
Check out this very wise statement:
“What Jefferson recognized… that in the long run, their improbable experiment — called America — wouldn’t work if its citizens were uninformed, if its citizens were apathetic, if its citizens checked out, and left democracy to those who didn’t have the best interests of all the people at heart.
“It could only work if each of us stayed informed and engaged, if we held our government accountable, if we fulfilled the obligations of citizenship.”
So staying engaged, becoming informed – that’s a good thing.
I don’t understand how he can take the first part and the second part of the speech and rationalize how they tie together, unless it is due to this:
“We can’t stop these changes… but we can adapt to them,” Obama said, adding that US workers were in a battle with well-educated foreign workers.
“Education… can fortify you, as it did earlier generations, to meet the tests of your own time,” he said.
So – as I stated above, information, as long as it is spoon fed from the colleges and teachers is o.k.? Is that what you are saying Mr. President? What if, sir, they are leaving out information or tailoring it poorly to keep people in the dark?
Self examination, self exploration, self education is not a good thing?
Make up your mind Mr. President.
19 Responses to “Obama Thinks Information Is A Diversion”
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- Petter Næss - Obama Thinks Information Is A Diversion [DRScoundrels]: http://bit.ly/9NmZ2Z
- Tea Tephi - RT @drscoundrels http://wp.me/pPzaZ-fV Obama thinks information is a diversion
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- Hot About Obama - Obama Thinks Information Is A Diversion http://drscoundrels.com/?p=987
- Cat1000 - RT @drscoundrels: http://wp.me/pPzaZ-fV Obama Thinks You Have TOO Much Information
- Sherry - RT @Ladybug4Freedom: http://wp.me/pPzaZ-fV Obama Thinks You Have TOO Much Information
- Jarrell Jerry Jones - RT @STXherry: RT @Ladybug4Freedom: http://wp.me/pPzaZ-fV Obama Thinks You Have TOO Much Information
- Margaret Khan - RT @STXherry: RT @Ladybug4Freedom: http://wp.me/pPzaZ-fV Obama Thinks You Have TOO Much Information
- Sherri H - RT @STXherry: RT @Ladybug4Freedom: http://wp.me/pPzaZ-fV Obama Thinks You Have TOO Much Information
- Sherri Draper - RT @STXherry: RT @Ladybug4Freedom: http://wp.me/pPzaZ-fV Obama Thinks You Have TOO Much Information
- Ed Badowski - RT @STXherry: RT @Ladybug4Freedom: http://wp.me/pPzaZ-fV Obama Thinks You Have TOO Much Information
- PolitixGal - RT @STXherry: RT @Ladybug4Freedom: http://wp.me/pPzaZ-fV Obama Thinks You Have TOO Much Information
- Rhonda White - RT @Ohio_Tea_Party: RT @drscoundrels: http://wp.me/pPzaZ-fV Obama Thinks You Have TOO Much Information
- clint hunting - RT @drscoundrels: http://wp.me/pPzaZ-fV Obama thinks information is a diversion
- Dee Y. - RT @Ladybug4Freedom: http://wp.me/pPzaZ-fV Obama thinks information is a diversion
Perhaps you’ll join Buffy Hamilton in asking President Obama to join ALA’s Networking Uncommons in June: http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/2010/05/09/dear-mr-president-misinformation-is-the-real-distraction/
Talk about taking things out of context and slanting them to mean what you want them to mean! Didn’t you ever hear that saying about people in glass houses not throwing stones??
Wake up people, listen to the whole speech ON YOUR OWN. Use your own mind to determine if what drscoundrels is true. Who exactly is guilty of skewing the message here? Perhaps both sides? Egad!
Considering the FCC, FTC and the net neutrality rules that the progressives are trying to pass – maybe you ought to look at the whole context of what President Obama’s (notice the apostrophe s, denoting that it is HIS government) government is attempting to do – highly regulate the internet – by their rules. Add the cyber bullying broad context rules, the search treaty that allows the U.S. Government to download any and all digital storage for search upon entry of this country, as well as the Fairness Doctrine that proposes limitations on Conservatives on the radio waves because they are too pervasive – compared to the left in the colleges, newspapers, tv and magazines that DON’T require the Fairness rules be applied to them.
And you’re in Radford – where there is a university and one known for it’s liberal arts – perhaps associated with the university? If you are going to make assertions that we need to see both sides, and that is why I took full quotes mind you, let us know that you are maybe in some way linked to an educator. That would mean that there might be a bias towards one side of the story.
I actually didn’t take anything out of context which would be taking partial quotes and making them sound like one thing rather than another. I took entire sentences and paragraphs and told you my opinion.
I can understand folks not listening to my opinion – seriously – but in all honesty – I wasn’t trying to “skew” things. This is how *I* see things that he says in light of what the government under his leadership is trying to crack down on things and regulate and tax one of the last free things we have as far as expression.
Maybe that will help your understanding.
Thanks for at least being coherent in your reply – the last several replies that I have gotten in past weeks haven’t been. I’ve been pleased with several lately that seemed to want to debate rather than attack. I can appreciate another point of view if it doesn’t involve insults
Thank you also for remaining civil. I don’t, however, understand why having people listen to the speech in its entirety and making up their own minds should be at all threatening to you. That is what I was beseeching your audience to do.
Also, you make an awful lot of assumptions about me and my beliefs based solely on where I live. I am not, in fact, affiliated with RU. Perhaps I can do the same for you, where is it that you live?
If I might answer in this answer for two posts you did – no problem – I don’t bite unless bitten first like being called a racist simply because I don’t like someone’s politics like in someone else’s answer :shaking head: – that doesn’t solve anything ::sigh::
Anyway – to your replies – I would beg to differ – I asked questions of you, and considering the size of Radford and the importance of RU in that town, it wasn’t a reach to think you might be associated with a teacher – but I asked – didn’t assume. An assumption would be “Coming from an obvious RU person…” – and that is far from what I did
I don’t have a problem with what you posted – I just replied
I don’t say don’t read it. I, as opposed to someone like President Obama, am not afraid to stand my ideas up to scrutiny, openly and honestly.
FCC gets overturned by courts – try again with different language to sneak controls of the net through.
Can’t pass net neutrality? Get the FTC and Chuck Schumer to sneak it through in non legislative language
Can’t pass cap and tax? That’s ok – get the EPA to just make new rules without going through the proper processes
We won’t bring lobbyists in here in prominent positions – but they have
When people questioned Bush, even to the point of anger and violence – there is a heartfelt appeal from the left to let them alone – they are fulfilling their patriotic duties by doing what they are doing – until the right does it when Obama is in office – then it is racism, bigotry, hatred, and we are called dangerous to the government and the American way of life for defending what we see as the Constitution and the way of life that MADE this country so successful.
Why is it that the free exchange of ideas which is touted by the left when the right is in power is now being looked upon as “dangerous” or “crazy”? There are whackanuts on both sides – but you won’t hear the left screaming about Garofolo and her hair brained limbic brain comments about folks on the right – saying that we have genetic problems SIMPLY because we are diametrically opposed to her ideas.
That is a Saul Alinsky tactic — and the fact is that the true progressives, the true left leadership taking us down the road we see the end of in Europe and South American socialism – are using that tactic well. If you can’t win in a fight of ideas – win by making fun of, tearing down, belittling.
Even the President is using terms like “teabagger” – very presidential.
I will certainly put my ideas up against President Obama – would do so on a stage. I am very expert in some fields and would tear his professorial, no real world experience butt up on a stage given a chance. I have advanced my own ideas in health care, immigration and how to SOLVE this current problem, taxation and more – but because I am a peon – I won’t get attention for it.
The fact is that EVERY leader has EVERY speech taken apart by pundits like myself – and if you don’t like that we don’t agree with him – well…truly I can’t help that. I don’t agree with his or with Bush’s politics for the most part before him. I loved when Clinton was shackled by Gingrich because for the first time we saw where a government wasn’t really runaway.
Frankly – I won’t be happy until the Federal government gives most of its power back to where it belongs – the state and local governments and gets off the backs of its citizens and the business engine which is what made this country so strong in the first place.
I understand that some won’t believe that way, but then again, as I told another commentor on here – this is a blog, my opinions, and it does say Conservative Commentator – I really don’t hide what I am, nor am I ashamed of wanting my country to go back to greatness. I love America and all Americans – I just don’t believe we need to stick a binky in everyone’s mouth and control every word in everyone’s ears. And what this whole point was getting around to – I don’t like the undertones along with the movements the President and his government are making to controlling speech – yours or mine.
If you ignore the actions and the new rules and the laws and treaties they are trying to pass – then you are just where they want you – listening to one voice and not asking why.
Have a great night!
You’re crazy drscoundrels. Any bit of creditability you might have had with me went right out the window when you assumed automatically that Bigfoot was associated with a liberal arts institution because he’s writing from Radford. “And you’re in Radford – where there is a university and one known for it’s liberal arts – perhaps associated with the university? If you are going to make assertions that we need to see both sides…let us know that you are maybe in some way linked to an educator.” If this is how you construct your conclusions then Obama is definitely correct that we need to be skeptical about the current “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” (arguments like drscoundrels’). Step out of your delusional conservative dogma and be apart of the solution, not the problem.
Please note that the response to your comments below are from DRScoundrels… I printed them for him while he is at work.
http://www.tk421.net/librarylink/
I DO understand those technologies and I agree with President Obama that they are entertainment designed to keep the masses entertained while Rome burns. That is what he is trying to say! Too much information (GIGO) Spin it the way you like, but that’s my perspective.
But what if we feel like Rome is burning due to big government spending (under Bush and Obama both – but Obama is spending WAY more than Bush even), taxation, regulation and harmful policies as far as defense and foreign policy.
So, what should I interpret from what you are saying? You agree with the FTC, FCC, Net neutrality and fairness doctrines? Who should be limited and WHO should control those switches?
If you are afraid of the information coming out of the internet – who should determine what information should be available? Why should there be a limit on information? Why do you want the government being able to determine what is good for you to listen to?
This is why people haven’t been able to name their governor or representatives – they haven’t been told that that is all that important by the government run schools. So what if they learn it from the internet – isn’t the phrase “knowledge is power”?
I guess it depends on who wants who to have what power, eh?
Been listening to too much Fox News and Sarah Palin speeches lately? Try getting out in the real world where people don’t view EVERYTHING through the prism of radical right conspiracy theories and thinly-veiled hatred of Obama (i.e., racism). Yes, racism – if Obama were all white instead of just half, the Tea Party would not exist.
Where were you when Bush and Co. were driving this country into the ground? I guess it’s okay when Republicans spend billions, limit our freedoms, demonize protest as un-American, and appoint extreme right Supreme Court justices.
Being civil sure as heck doesn’t make you informed.
First of all, calling names doesn’t solve anything – and I especially made that point in another response. Delusional, crazy, dogma all identifies something as “bad”
Now – I asked questions – I didn’t make an assumption. I had question marks.
If what you are saying is that questions or asking questions or attempting to learn the potential biases of a person I don’t know making a statement in print where I can’t see their face, hear their tone or know where they are coming from is delusional conservative dogma – well then – I am delusional and conservative.
If that is your viewpoint about what I am stating here – then I would stipulate that YOU are part of the problem in saying that asking a question is a problem.
I didn’t bombard – I stated – as I mentioned in my reply to Bigfoot – an opinion. Which, according to everything I know – I have a right to. At this time. The question is, with the rhetoric (all the examples I stated in my orignal reply) being touted by the other side of the aisle about controls being put on people, how long will I have the right to state my opinion. The other question is, would that make you happy to have opposition silenced? And if so, would you be happy being silenced if the other side of the aisle had that ability towards you?
Thanks for your comments.
Okay, first off you obviously haven’t been listening AT ALL, or you would KNOW that we have often and loudly berated the GOP, Bush and all for their spending as well as being basically spineless and lacking in testicles. Have you bothered to read any of our other posts? However, Bush’s 400 billion dollar deficit doesn’t really hold a candle to O’s 1.8 TRILLION dollar deficit, does it? And that has NOTHING to do with race, does it? Get off your high horse. Our disagreements with Obama’s politics and policies have NOTHING to do with the color of his skin. The only people that moan and bitch about skin color are those on the left. It is the socialist agenda that scares the crap out of us. And what freedoms EXACTLY were limited when Bush was president? Oh; you must be talking about the Patriot act (which Obama continued, btw). You mean like informing of terrorists and the such? Oh yeah, that really sucks. And as far as protesting? You mean the times that all the effigies of Bush were hung or burned, and no one said a word; but Tea Partiers wave flags and sing God Bless America and we’re called RACIST? Get a grip, get a clue, and get a life.
To Bob Butler – if you would like to call me a racist – that is a cowards way out of arguing anything. I have written, spoken and behaved so much better than you give me credit for, and have better than a years worth of proof that I’m not.
Someone who is a race baiter and a know nothing insult thrower – doesn’t matter to me more than a fart in a windstorm – brief stench and then poof – gone.
Oooh, I hate to admit it, but in this case I have to agree with drscoundrels. Hating Obama does not equal racism. (Spitting on black congressmen and shouting the N-word do constitute racism, but that is not the topic here.)
Everything does not have to be so black and white. (No pun intended) It is possible to disagree with Obama on some issues and not on others. Knee jerk reactions from either side, as in everything he says is bad or everything he says is good, don’t help anyone. I am all about the American people once again thinking critically (sadly, I believe many of us don’t know how to do that anymore.) and taking each issue on its own individual merits, weighing the pros and cons, and coming to their own decisions. I disagree with any tactics that prey on primitive fears and that are not grounded in facts. If people would start thinking independently, these tactics wouldn’t work. Gotta go.
Coming to this post via Library Link of the Day – it reinforces two things – #1 I need to read Obama’s speech for myself, because the posting above seems to be ver skewed in perspective #2 choose your information sources with care – information literacy and critical thinking skills are important as ever.
Couple of things – please do read the speech for yourself – I certainly never intimated that you shouldn’t.
Second – how am I skewed WHEN you take everything that is going on in our government – as I have stated in a couple of different comments – and then combine it with the undertones of the speech that we hear here?
Third – even if you consider what I do say skewed, that is fine because when you look at the top of the page – I don’t say “reporter” and I don’t say “media analyst” – I say conservative commentator – I don’t hide behind something I’m not. Unfortunately ::grin:: most of the media on both sides can’t claim that. But I am up front.
I also replied earlier that this is my *opinion*, which you can share or not as you will
I didn’t skew anything – I pointed out a couple of things in his speech that make *me* nervous – and I pointed to a part of his speech that truly contradicts the original part of his speech – that it is GOOD to go looking for info. The only problem is, in MY OPINION, it seems that he wants it from controlled sources. Why is it, in fact, that places like HuffPo and Politico and others don’t get the same bashing as Fox or Malkin? Aren’t they all pundits?
Of course.
But the point I am making is that while the left controls the media in:
All but maybe 3 stations that comment on politics (CNBC, CSPAN and Fox)
Almost all the major newspapers
Almost all the major magazines
A large part of the school faculty that teaches reporting and media
A large part of the school faculty that teaches teaching
So!
Why are we so damn concerned when the conservatives suddenly take over talk radio and the internet to SOME degree – though there are Tens of Thousands of left leaning US blogs compared to tens of thousands of RIGHT leaning blogs?
Why the Fairness doctrine to control WHAT is said over what station? Why have porn, death, bad language, bad behavior, even really stupid videos that encourage others to do very dumb and dangerous things but for SOME reason the people on the right are SO dangerous that we have to control it?
That is transparent censorship of IDEAS and thoughts and speech. Here in the states – we didn’t use to let that happen. If that is the point that any person commenting on our blog is arguing from – well we will definitely disagree.
It used to be respected – the free exchange of ideas – guess not anymore
Yup, gotta watch those unions, all they care about are working people. And those teachers, boy, they’re a dangerous bunch.