Obama: "Turn off the video games and pick up a book."

[ThisIsSnake]

... The fellowship of the Ring
The hobbit ...

Why did you stop at FotR?

And for that matter Order of the Phoenix?

I am very much in favour of the Pratchett though! I recommend Small Gods and Guards! Guards!. Also, "The Greatest Show on Earth" for more by Dawkins.

Yep I did, I tried to read every harry potter book before the film came out (so I could complain about what they left out) but I lost interest after ootp. With LotR Id watched the film first and was annoyed at how long it took to get to Rivendell and Moria, I just didn't have the patience to read them I guess.

 

[bigredmnky]

Once again, he proves that he's a total fucking retard. I'm sorry Obama, you'll get just as fat and lethargic from sitting around reading all day (probably more so). And if we're going to talk about educational value, are you really going to tell me that games like Portal can't teach? It's like he's going out of his way to piss off as many people as possible...

can you tell me real quick what portal taught you? I'm just curious

 

[Thaius]

He's been like this toward video games since he was running for office. He's often used them as the evil opposite to things like reading and physical activity.

Some people here are saying that he's right, reading is good and important and not enough people do it, etc., and they're right. But that's not the issue. It's not that he's promoting reading, it's that he's using video games as the evil waste of time kids are doing instead. He put it on the same level as good vs. evil and treating others as you would like to be treaded, for crying out loud! And that's not okay. It displays the ignorance our culture still has when it comes to video games and their place in society. Also means Obama continues to lose points with me, not that he had many to begin with...

 

[Febel]

But I read and play video games more than is healthy. What to I do? WHAT DO I DO!?[\b]
Also, what if some one is playing through a visual novel?

Once again, he proves that he's a total fucking retard. I'm sorry Obama, you'll get just as fat and lethargic from sitting around reading all day (probably more so). And if we're going to talk about educational value, are you really going to tell me that games like Portal can't teach? It's like he's going out of his way to piss off as many people as possible...

can you tell me real quick what portal taught you? I'm just curious

That momentum is conserved whilst traveling through portals, that deadly neurotoxin is NOT in fact all that deadly, that people with brain damage are the real heroes, that fighting an army of mantis men is the real way to go, that lemons can be made combustable, that the cake is a lie and that BIRD! BIRD! BIRD! KILL IT! KILL IT! AAAGGGHH

 

[FalloutJack]

I read and play games in equal distribution, Obama Kenobi.

 

[Blind Sight]

I will accept your terms Obama, but only if you read the damn War Powers Act and realize that you can't even declare a 'semi-war' on foreign countries without Congressional approval.

He put it on the same level as good vs. evil and treating others as you would like to be treaded, for crying out loud! And that's not okay. It displays the ignorance our culture still has when it comes to video games and their place in society. Also means Obama continues to lose points with me, not that he had many to begin with...

You expect a politician to do anything other then cast things as good vs. evil, us vs. them?

 

[My Name Is Brandon]

Once again, he proves that he's a total fucking retard. I'm sorry Obama, you'll get just as fat and lethargic from sitting around reading all day (probably more so). And if we're going to talk about educational value, are you really going to tell me that games like Portal can't teach? It's like he's going out of his way to piss off as many people as possible...

can you tell me real quick what portal taught you? I'm just curious

The cake is a lie?

 

[coolkirb]

well lets face it people dont read enough and their is little educational value in most videogames. And dont give me any of the Zero Punctuation garbage.

 

[Dr. wonderful]

***** please.

I read books and I play video games. They interchangable.

I'm writing a Novel! Did You write a Novel? That wasn't based on your life or your children lives?

*Rimshot*

 

[Lawnchair]

Does it count if I read them online?

 

[Flauros]

You guys are absolutely right. There is no difference between being a WOW addict and not doing anything else ever again and reading books and spending time with your kids. How dare Obama try to get people to spend time with their kids. I HATE YOU SO MUCH OBAMA!!!!!!

 

[Fursnake]

Obama: "I'll say anything to take your mind off my pathetic presidential performance!"

 

[thefrizzlefry]

I have something to say to him...

Do your freakin job!

Considering one of the duties of the president (or any public figurehead) is to try to be a role-model, I'd say he's doing his job. The unfortunate thing is that he is like many adults (my own father included) who view video games as detrimental. It would be nice to get past the books = good, video games = bad.

Right
Right

I know I look up to a man who goes on "The View"

Role Model? I laugh!

There are plenty more men to take as a role model....

Also some games....require you to read....and perhaps people should write better books....

There's no shortage of good books, man. There are the works of Thomas Pynchon, Chuck Klosterman, H.P. Lovecraft, Hunter S. Thompson, Mark Twain, Sylvia Plath, Kurt Vonnegut, etc. There are plenty of good books around. Hell, there's one coming out in a month or two, Ready Player One, that I got an advance copy of, and it was really good.

 

[Lionsfan]

Dear president Obama. I'm fairly sure I've read more books than you have, despite being half your age. I'm also pretty sure they covered a broader range of topics than you did. I'm also a dedicated gamer. So up yours.

Sincerely
Jandau

Dear Jandau, I'm sorry to be the one to inform you, however I think you missed the point of the actual speech.

With Regards,
aaaaaaaLionsfan

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

I see where he's coming from, that books will probably increase the kids' literacy and vocabularies and maybe attention spans, since books are more investment than shooting people for 5 minutes. Of course, what Obama also means is the kids should read books, giving Dad's a chance to game. He's still got The Witcher 2 he was given by the Polish President.

 

[Flauros]

Dear president Obama. I'm fairly sure I've read more books than you have, despite being half your age. I'm also pretty sure they covered a broader range of topics than you did. I'm also a dedicated gamer. So up yours.

Sincerely
Jandau

lol So when someone says "people should eat more healthy food" do you say. "OMG I ALREADY DO! YOU WANT ME TO CHOKE TO DEATH ON HEALTHY FOOD. YOURE SO STUPID!"
Since you think reading books is good....and OBAMA thinks reading books are good....wouldnt you say that ...you both AGREE that books are good? That would sound almost logical.

 

[Seives-Sliver]

Most of us played Videogames, and we turned out all right, blaming certain things for a kid's behavior is a big no-no, the parents need to be more attentive to children, just picking up a book isn't going to help, proper parenting is.

 

[Riff Moonraker]

Before people put on their white pillow covers and put it over their heads, read the last paragraph. Obama is addressing poor parenting, games being a distration for kids to realise they have shitty parents... like me.
And always, he saying games are not bad, everything is done in moderation.

Why would you say that? Disagreeing with the man does not equate to racism.

 

[RJ Dalton]

Preaching to the choir here. I average about four hours of reading a day, plus I WRITE fiction in my spare time.
From that perspective, I see no reason why I can't do both.

 

[EZola19]

It is the responsibility of the parents and the teachers to encourage a culture of reading. I encourage information and entertainment from a variety of mediums, as I do myself - Internet (the escapist), tv (national geographic), magazine (economist), books (blood of elves), video games (the witcher 2).

Parents have to start early and show that reading can be fun as the worlds that you envision with your own imagination can surpass any given by video games. I don't promote exclusivity of just one medium as it's too narrow minded.

Punishing or enforcement of the video games will simply encourage the children to find more time. Maybe budgeting time for video games or actively read with your kid/child/etc.

And yes I hope he doesn't become anti gamer