In a recent commencement address at Hampton University, President Obama said this:
“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.”
This statement has created quite the controversy…as is reasonable to expect anytime somebody disses an Apple product or a gaming console. Let’s just be thankful that he dissed the XBox and the PlayStation equally. Otherwise we might have a riot on our hands.
One of the reactions to the statement is Obama’s admission that he doesn’t “know how to work” the iPod, iPad, XBox, etc. This was, of course, just an exaggeration to make a point. But it’s ironic that it - by itself - added to a large “distraction, diversion, a form of entertainment” for many people.
One of the other reactions has to do with the assertion Obama makes about the “24/7 media environment” and how it can’t be trusted, spreads lies and puts a lot of pressure on us and our democracy. He does have a point. There is a lot of misinformation out there and our government is now run by politicians who cater to 30-second sound bites that will push their polling in one direction or the other. They love the “diversion” when it gets them into office. They hate it when it puts their opponent into office. The irony of who is making this statement runs thick here as well. I’m on Obama’s mailing list. I know exactly how his team uses electronic media to spread misconception and bombard us with content that “doesn’t always rank that high on the truth meter.”
These are of course, however, political games that have been played since the beginning of time. They are just played at a faster pace now and are that much more powerful (and devastating).
But if we can get past all of that stuff, Obama does make a wise point. Information is more often a distraction for us than a “tool of empowerment.” I think that’s true for most people. I know it’s true for me on many days. The Church has been warning about this for a long, long time now. But more and more people are starting to actually experience it first-hand. So we’re waking up. It’s a good thing.
What we have to be careful of, though, is not to let this experience necessarily shove us to an extreme. This is also a great part of the Church’s wisdom on this. Just because the excessive flow of information can be a distraction, doesn’t mean we should cut off the flow entirely.
If you want your children not to drown, don’t shelter them from swimming pools - teach them to swim. It’s the same idea here.
We need to jump in and learn how to navigate the information flow. It can be dangerous - this is true. That just means we have to be a bit more cautious, a lot more disciplined and far better equipped. But if we can manage that (and I know we can), then we’ll have one heck of a powerful tool. And I’m a big fan of power tools.
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Great post Matt.
Every one of us in the nation needs to pray and make sacrifices for the good of our country. I dare to suggest that President Obama go one week without a speech, an oration, a pronouncement, a photo opportunity. In that week, perhaps he could knuckle down and get to the business of running our government? Just a thought…What blessed peace our citizens would enjoy for the week when the garrulous one squelched his loquaciousness and focused on the nation’s problems and work at hand! From my mouth to God’s ears…
Am I the only one who tires of the endless speeches?
No, Margie, you are not the only one who tires of the endless speeches, particularly since they often don’t “rank that high on the truth meter.” This particular speech is most interesting in that it’s from the first US president to keep using his Blackberry after being elected, & who has been quoted as saying he has Michael Jackson on his I-pod. “...none of which I know how to work?!” Clearly, he wants us to listen to only SOME information, that which somes from him & from his fellow radical socialists. Matt is absolutely correct - we need to be careful consumers of information, & teach our kids how to swim in the often fouled waters of the media output.
Mary, your words about the truth meter are a very polite description of the drivel we have been force fed by our commander in chief. The messages he sends are reason enough to listen to Catholic Radio, EWTN and alternative media sources in order to obtain peace of mind. Prevaricators are one of the chief sources of my aggravation and I offer these sufferings for the coming of the Kingdom.+JMJ+Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
Mary and Margie, I agree with both of you! I was going to post a lengthy comment, but thank you both for doing it ahead of me. We need to pray, for our country and, like him or not, our president. Hopefully we will survive until his term is up. Lord, Have Mercy on Us.
Patricia-Obama appears to be a precursor of things to come. If we can not stand up for our faith now, it will be much tougher in the days ahead of us. So, let us continue to pray for our nation and to thank God for the religious liberties we now enjoy that may soon disappear.I have been reading Macabees and times have often been tough for the people of God. With so many caving and knuckling under right now, it is not difficult to see how the future will hold great and widespread apostasy at the first sign of persecution.
Thank God for “modern means” of disseminating the truth. If it were left to Obama and his minions we would be in the same position of Germans in the 30’s and 40’s and the people of Soviet Russia with “thought police” ensuring we only got the “official line”. Inform yourselves about the thinking of his nominee for the Supreme Court. Her own words show how she would like to “control” freedom of speech to criticize the government.
TJ I agree with you. This blessing was made clear during the election in Iran.
I’ve been reading about King Richard the III and I wonder how things may have been different during their era if they had iphones. It was so difficult to know who was in power. If you chose to ally with the losing side it could result in your death. As Christians death is not to fear, but we will want to know the truth behind political bylines, and the big three TV networks no longer have a corner on the market. Thanks be to God!
Lucy
www.mysticalrosedesign.blogspot.com
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