US President Barack Obama has used his Fathers' Day national address to ask parents to encourage their kids to "turn off the video games and pick up a book".
Obama's address kicked off the 'Year of Strong Fathers, Strong Families' programme - set up to "do something about father absence". And it was during the promotion of this new idea that the President pointed the finger in gaming's direction.
"We know that every father has a personal responsibility to do right by their kids - to encourage them to turn off the video games and pick up a book; to teach them the difference between right and wrong; to show them through our own example the value in treating one another as we wish to be treated. And most of all, to play an active and engaged role in their lives," he said.
"But all of us have a stake in forging stronger bonds between fathers and their children. All of us can support those who are willing to step up and be father figures to those children growing up without a dad. And that's what the Year of Strong Fathers, Strong Families is all about."
He repeated the point in an Fathers' Day-themed op/ed in People magazine, where he wrote: "And every father can encourage his child to turn off the video games and pick up a book; to study hard and stay in school. Every father can pack a healthy lunch for his son, or go outside and play ball with his daughter."
It's not the first time Obama has discussed his nation's gaming habits. In 2009, he encouraged parents to get their kids to "step away from the video games and spend more time playing outside", whilst last year he raised concerns about gaming and technology "distracting" kids during their eduction.
And back in 2008, he asked the US to prevent video games from "raising your kids" - with a respectful nod to GTA IV.
However, he can see some upsides to gaming, too. Ten months ago he publicly applauded a scheme created to help US children forge a career in video games design.
Comments
96 comments so far...
StonecoldMC on 20 Jun '11 said:
Cant say I disagree with him.
If you have kids dont let them play too much video Games, dont let them watch too much TV, or eat too much crap, or not get enough exercise.
I think the BIGGER problem here though, is that parents are having to be told how to bring up their children. Its not bloody rocket science (although it is quite tiring, so I hear
).
KK-Headcharge78 on 20 Jun '11 said:
Put down the morale crusade and go and invade some country ending in 'stan'.
fat_tony2001 on 20 Jun '11 said:
To be fair, I don't think he's having a pop at gaming per se. Barry's just saying to parents don't plonk your kid down in front of the telly playing games all day. Encourage them to read, to learn and generally try and bring them up right. Nothing wrong with that.
steve w on 20 Jun '11 said:
Whats a book do game instruction books count?
I hate books I normally wait for them to come out on blu-ray.
Vampyre on 20 Jun '11 said:
I don't see it as him having a pop at videogames either. He's right, turn the console off for a bit, pick a book up and get lost in a different type of adventure.
Typie on 20 Jun '11 said:
Obama is right, but we can say the same thing on any entertainment (TV, Movies, Musics, Internet)...
rbt2 on 20 Jun '11 said:
If he's preaching to just his own people then fair enough.
If not then go f**k yerself, Obama!
Heartfyre on 20 Jun '11 said:
He mustn't have liked The Witcher 2, so...
Everything in moderation. There is such a thing as reading too many books as well. My own experience as an English Major attests to that. Still, the way that quote comes off, it seems as though he's taking a jab at gaming over other media, but it is deserved in some ways. Games can be extremely time-intensive, especially multiplayer components, in a way that a book or a two-hour film simply isn't. I'd say there are far more cases of teens flunking exams because they want to run around the same CoD maps than because they couldn't put down War and Peace. Nonetheless, I think it's an unfair statement, and not a considered one, even if, as in most incorrect diatribes, there is a shard of truth within it.
orgasmatron on 20 Jun '11 said:
Well most of the children learns to read through video games and tv. And IT IS much more fun than a lousy book. I hate books but I have my reasons for that.
rbt2 on 20 Jun '11 said:
A mahoosive bookcase fell on you?
almanac2015 on 20 Jun '11 said:
Oh, f**k off. Whist I'm fine with trying to encourage children to read (I read a lot myself and have since childhood), why single out video games? Pick on TV, pick on the internet. At least games can be made multi-player, making it a bit more social than TV. Whilst I had an active childhood playing outdoors, I still played absolutely loads of console games with my dad - Sonic 2, Crash Team Racing etc.
I do think kids should read more. Parents could encourage it - mine did. And whilst I normally despise people blaming teachers etc. for failing to teach things that parents should be doing, in this case I think schools could do a lot more. Let children read something interesting in school - letting them read something modern if going to be of more interest than making them read Shakespeare or the other so called 'classics'.
InsertMoreCredit on 20 Jun '11 said:
And once again gamers come rushing to the defence of their hobby without thinking it through. The man is right; parents should encourage their children to read more.
Speaking as a parent I must say, you're talking an absolute load of twaddle. Never have children of your own if that is your thinking.
metallicorphan on 20 Jun '11 said:
i am happy with how i spend my time,i play plenty of games i watch a bit of TV,and i enjoy plenty of Books,and all are very diverse -i like games from call of duty,Guitar Hero to Final Fantasy,i like books from Alice in Wonderland,Three Musketeers to Stephen King...sorry if that upsets you Mr President that i don't just read books all the time,although i do notice the last line that you appreciate people going into the video game business,so fair play with that part
however like Typie says,why is it always Video games that get the s**t thrown at its fan?
whereas in the past it has been certain books that have shed a bad light(i dunno,the Catcher in the Rye for instance),or certain movies(Texas Chainsaw Massacre or even Life of Brian)and then certain TV shows got complaints..anything Mary Whitehouse watched in the 80s i guess
but with Video games,its usually the whole medium that gets slagged off(as well as individual games) and given a bad name,and usually by people who either don't play or don't understand where gaming is coming from or going,in other words,you don't get people who play video games sticking their noses into what people like Anne Diamond does in her spare time(i heard BDSM)..as we really don't care what they do
Jerry Springer Final Thought:-leave us to our hobbies and interests,just like how we leave you alone with your hobbies and interests...we know that you are only jealous because we are having more fun
rbt2 on 20 Jun '11 said:
There was a kid at my school called Rubin Bookbinder.
He didn't get the p**s taken out of him.
Much.
Obscure_Metaphor on 20 Jun '11 said:
I actually agree with him. too many kids just do nothing but play games. I actually think I've really benefited from not playing games much till I was about 12. on now work with kids of all ages on a pretty regular basis, and it always shocks me when 8 year olds say their favourite game is Black Ops...
Soviet1918 on 20 Jun '11 said:
Im reading right now "kinda" ,,,, let me see errrrmm whats it called ,,, Juggs thats it.
Jensonjet on 20 Jun '11 said:
Thanks dude. You saved me the effort... I totally agree with you.
Although adding to that; I wish politicians would concentrate more on doing their job well than worrying about the hobbies people have in their spare time.
There's a fine line between balancing the needs of the people, keeping everyone safe, keeping ecomonies in check and looking after the environment, and as I see it politicians, down the ages, from all parties, around the world have been slowly and systematically failing with their incompetence.
LordVonPS3 on 20 Jun '11 said:
Think I'll celebrate this news with a 2 hour GT5 endurance race a bit later.
yerbluesjohn on 20 Jun '11 said:
I'm gonna read to my kids and play video games with them.
I think Obama mentioned video games because it's what most kids do with their time these days. It didn't read like an attack on gaming to me.
Athrun888 on 20 Jun '11 said:
I think the answer isn't books, it's a return of those long PS1 era JRPGs that used text 90% of the time to tell the story. That's fun, and keeps kids involved in something if they can't read due to getting bored, and this is coming from someone who, by the age of 11, was reading full length adult novels (and was asking the english teachers why we can't read something actually interesting to write essays about, god the tripe they assigned the class was boring).
Padua on 20 Jun '11 said:
Reading was my favourate form of entertainment - although in recent years I have been too busy playing computer games to have time for it
I agree with everything in moderation and reading should not be neglected. There are plenty of video games that can inspire reading too but nothing beats the power of your own imagination
almanac2015 on 20 Jun '11 said:
Same. Politicians need to do their job and look after the country without trying to interfere with the little parts of our lives. Want to get kids to read? Then do it through education, not trying to lay a guilt trip on parents - especially because Obama has himself admitted that the presidential campaign kept him away from his kids...
"That's not to say I've always been a perfect dad. I haven't. When Malia and Sasha were younger, work kept me away from home more than it should have. At times, the burden of raising our two daughters has fallen too heavily on Michelle."
richardgeefe on 20 Jun '11 said:
Fair point. I don't think he's having a go at games, 20 years ago he'd have mentioned TV. Kids play more games than read books, which is a pretty fair statement. Even books like Harry Potter have to be made into films and games to get kids interested.
At the very least, it'll be good for their eyesight. I worked in an office staring at a computer screen for 10 hours a day and would leave with a splitting headache. By giving kids the chance to read stuff on a printed page, it takes some of the stress off their eyes for a bit.
dannyhulse on 20 Jun '11 said:
I agree with this,
I read for about an hour to an hour and a 1/2 each night AND play video games! The two can co-exsist, they are not mutually exclusive!
Ultimately it is how the parents bring up their children not video games, people who blame TV or the Internet or video games for their childrens problems have failed as a parent IMO.
almanac2015 on 20 Jun '11 said:
To be honest mate I think reading isn't that good for eyesight either - especially in small print. As for something 'having to be made into a film to get kids interested' I disagree. Harry Potter was made into a film because so many people bought the book. And more then went out to purchase the book because of the movie.
20 years ago Obama would maybe have mentioned TV. But what seems to have happened is that TV has become so ingrained into our lives that you can't pick on it. Too many people watch it, so gaming is not the new scapegoat.
rbt2 on 20 Jun '11 said:
Well we're lazy parents and couldn't be arsed to read to our boy and it hasn't done him any harm.
When he was a toddler, t.v brought him up whilst he was imprisoned in his crib. Then when he was old enough to climb out of it, we tethered him to the settee.
Because of t.v he is the best reader in his class full of 12 year olds. Same goes for maths. He's the most advanced in that too. And don't get me started on his athletic prowess. He whups all the other kids in the 100m sprint and he's the school's strongest swimmer too. And all thanks to us neglecting him and t.v.
Having said that, he is 27.
boskersrevenge on 20 Jun '11 said:
I knew of someone called Fartun Salade.
*************
Well, this isn't news and I agree. All too often games consoles (along side TV and films) have become the third parent in the last couple of decades (longer for TV and film) so encouraging them into other forms of media is a good thing. Books are great!
Why is everyone so serious though? It's like anything that's not glowing about games gets such rough treatment.
El Mag on 20 Jun '11 said:
Bless him.
I'm in the doghouse today. I've realised that when your other half comes up to you all happy looking and says
"i'm expecting"
You shouldn't reply with
"Yeah me too, 2 sugers, milky and 5 rich tea biscuits on a plate sweetheart"
Megatrons_Fury on 20 Jun '11 said:
Judging by the kinds of conversations we all hear teenagers having thesedays it's clear that something needs to be done to encourage the use of more and indeed REAL words.
Although not a huge fan of reading books myself thesedays i did read a lot when young and i have to agree that it helped me hugely in later life so i personally feel thats it's great for children to be encouraged to at least try and get into reading, why wouldnt you want to give the future generations every chance of bettering themselves.
Everything in moderation i feel is the answer here, being a parent nowdays is hard if you tow the party line regarding what you can and can't do regarding raising children but personally i feel that it's the goverments role to create a fair and just society and allow freedoms for all and opportunities rather than dictating how one should raise a child.
Small things like reading and using language correctly really do help children not only in how to properly conduct themselves with others but it also encourages the imagination to run wild and through reading allows creativity to flourish, it's no co-incidence that women who are on average more patient, understanding and open to new ideas read on average 3 times more than men.
Na i swear down bruv me is tellin da truff innit blood.
(laugh all you want but that's the future............. sigh)
almanac2015 on 20 Jun '11 said:
LittleBigPlanet
dragonjim on 20 Jun '11 said:
I read and play games
rbt2 on 20 Jun '11 said:
If that's true then many congrats mate.
If not then colour me gullible and balls to yer!
Balladeer on 20 Jun '11 said:
I'm not going to be popular for saying this, but I reckon he's right. Not saying that we should sacrifice all games for books, goodness no! But I definitely don't read as much as I should, and I reckon there are some people on this site who probably barely read at all. Frankly, if there's anyone who gets a kick out of their videogames having a good story, chances are there's a book with a better one out there.
Charles Dickens is a personal favourite, because I'm a sucker for the "happy ending, all loose ends tied up" story.
yourmumwasfun on 20 Jun '11 said:
Take US soldiers out of Afghanistan, otherwise there won't be much fathers left.
You've been told Barack.
lordirongut on 20 Jun '11 said:
Play a classic RPG. More reading than any book
WHERESMYMONKEY on 20 Jun '11 said:
Well i have fond memories of gaming with my father. Gaming helped me to learn to read. It's a cheap shot because he can't blame television. I'm all for dads taking an active interest in thier children. But you can't preach the importance of family in one word and then send thousands more soldiers to die in another.
ensabahnur on 20 Jun '11 said:
Dunno if that was just a joke or not but if so then congrats are in order Mag, at least you now know for sure you ain't firing blanks.
On topic i completely agree with Barra, the amount of time children nowadays spend playing games, unsupervised as well, is shocking. Some parents just don't realise that a lot of games are really unsuitable for children as well and don't even research them. One of my ex's actually let her 7 year old play GTA: Vice City until i explained that he was actually killing prostitutes during a drug running mission.
Felly117 on 20 Jun '11 said:
why not do both?
Darkwun on 20 Jun '11 said:
screw the article, just LOL @ rb2 and el mag lmao
but gotta say i agree with obama... i dont think he's attacking games and saying its a mutually exclusive thing, but my kids mom (we're separated) just sits him in front of the wii or x box and doesnt read to him, i come over and i play wii and x box in moderation and i read him a book and he loves both. its my responsibility as a father to keep him educated as well as make sure i have a competent gamer to shoot in the face when hes older lol i myself dont read enough despite the fact im a writer (i know, u wudnt guess by my spelling and punctuation in the forums lol) and tend to not read anything that doesnt have a girls boobs exposed on page 3 to keep me interested!
Imaduck on 20 Jun '11 said:
Thankfully, here in the UK, we're capable of doing both. The US is a country of extremes. Eat lots or don't eat at all, be rich as f**k or poor as f**k, everything is a conspiracy, "antichrist" of the month. So yeah, I agree with Obama, it's important for the US to have this kind of feedback, many wouldn't work it out otherwise.
I'm actually not sure if I was just messing and exaggerating there or not
I'd love to say I was, but some of it is pretty much bang on hah. Obama is right though.
Orox on 20 Jun '11 said:
lol, preying on how reactionary most gamers are = guaranteed replies and traffic .Well done done.
I agree tbh. No reason to get riled up over this.
The Big F on 20 Jun '11 said:
Don't think it's a particularly bad thing to say; it's true that some kids spend way too much time gaming and not enough doing other activities. If you wind the clock back 30 years, the same statements were probably being made about getting kids away from the TV and reading books.
Not like he's saying that games are bad ... just that letting your kids play them all day is. Which we can all agree with.
El Mag on 20 Jun '11 said:
If it comes out with a scouse accent i'm going right round Rooney's and decking him.
We used to have a bus parked outside school every other wednesday that would rent books out (thankfully not driven by a registered perv). I used to go get a few and sit and read them while everybody else watched Eastenders. Fair enough it was only Funnybones and The Very Hungry Caterpillar but they still count don't they, everybody's surely read them.
Sammy_bham on 20 Jun '11 said:
In all fairness.
you can probably learn more playing 30 minutes of a game then you can reading a book.
just because you are reading a book, doesnt mean you will benefit in anyway in comparison to playing a game.
I could be reading the top ten most gruesome serial killers. What would you rather my daughter do now Barack? Read that or play nintendogs?
come on, i wanna know?
At the end of the day, id say a good 60% maybe more of games has you reading your fair share of literature as well as gaining great hand to eye coordination, you can learna lot about the world, cars, guns, foreign affairs, space etc etc.
reading the BFG, about a scary old peedo who comes and scares children in their bed? Id let my little girl play her 3ds over that tripe anyday.
gmcb007 on 20 Jun '11 said:
What the hell is a book?
Oh and kids, this does not mean faceBOOK. Thats a lot worse for kids than video games!
Imaduck on 20 Jun '11 said:
Registered pervs aren't the ones you need to fear Mag
El Mag on 20 Jun '11 said:
I dunno, Gary Glitter scares the s**t outta me. It's mostly his beard.
Reegeee on 20 Jun '11 said:
To quote Egon Spengler 'Print is dead'.
They shouldn't be encouraging people to read. It only promotes free thought and possibly terrorism.
sjholland87 on 20 Jun '11 said:
Fail comment is fail!
Obama hasn't gone in to countries ending in "stan"... Bush was that man and he went 4 years ago!
Also, kids shouldn't be inside everyday. It's disgusting to think that parents let them do it.
So YOU get off YOUR morale crusade and learn that life is more than what is on the TV. Is it any wonder that the intellectual level of children has dropped dramatically when you get people like you calling a worthwhile cause a "moral crusade"!?!
Dumb quote is dumb!
You learn how to read, how to spell and how to use your imagination when reading. You can't get by in life without reading. You can get by perfectly well without playing video games
almanac2015 on 20 Jun '11 said:
Oh please. Yeah, you need to read in life but that just means learning how to read. It doesn't mean spending your free time reading books if it isn't your thing. There are many games that require you to read (Dragon Age Origins, Morrowind or Oblivion, the Monkey Island game series). Games with create features like LittleBigPlanet and Mod Nation allow you to use your imagination and even movies allow that. Yes, reading Harry Potter as a child will let you use your imagination. So will a movie.
Again I'll say that I actually do read. I have for as long as I can remember. I was read to as a child, and then I began reading to my parents instead. But games can have a positive impact as well as books.
Neo_Geek25 on 20 Jun '11 said:
I don't think he's saying video games and books are mutally exclusive.
Basically, he wants more people to spend time with their kids by getting them into reading. Nothing wrong with that.
Literacy is a good skill to have.
Balladeer on 20 Jun '11 said:
I take major, MAJOR issue with this. Television is just about the most passive form of entertainment there is, short of applying smell, taste and touch tech. You don't need to imagine what the situation/characters/landscapes look or sound like because it's piped directly into your brain from the picture box. For a book you do, and therefore books require you to use your imagination much more than films.
This isn't the be-all and end-all of the argument, of course. You can imagine what happens after/alongside the series (giving us fanfiction), but the same applies to books. And most of the imagination required for reading and properly enjoying a book is removed if you watch the film first - you're automatically substituting Daniel Radcliffe and all his mannerisms in for your own. But the fact stands that the two are not comparable.
Noobsaibot on 20 Jun '11 said:
Gaming is a lot more stimulating (and, dare I say it, sometimes almost hypnotic) than TV or movies ever will be. I fully agree with Obama's opinion on this.
Mmmmgrolsch on 20 Jun '11 said:
I have only ever read one book and that was when I was about 10 years old, I just can't be bothered with reading them and don't see why I would need to
As for the imagination thing, well smoke a few J's with the finest green in and discuss the universe or anything big and see how much your imagination runs wild.
All my reading when I was a kid was done playing all the jrpg's back on the PS1, I will say though I much prefer a jrpg without voice and just having text boxes as you take in more.
almanac2015 on 20 Jun '11 said:
I agree - books do require you to use your imagination more than films (but what about games like LittleBigPlanet?). Films don't require much imagination at all. But they still can open up a kids imagination. Give a child an idea (by showing him the world of Harry Potter through film) and he will incorporate it into a game with his friends. The film itself doesn't require imagination, but outside of the film, young children will create a world around them.
CrispyLog on 20 Jun '11 said:
I agree, people definately need to read more. The classics like Shakespeare are at least important because of how they have influenced everything, I mean how often do people use the name 'Romeo' to describe a romantic. Everything is so much richer if you have a well read background and can get all the little references, nods and quotes to literature in modern films, books, telly and games. Books can go really deep into psychology and politics too; reading 1984, A Canticle For Leibowitz or The Death of Grass tells us so much about what it means to be human and makes you ask questions of yourself and how you'd survive in such a future and what you'd sacrifice. Not to mention true stories about people surviving against all odds or historical works like Homer and Herodotus.
To be honest, the only thing missing from games is the literature aspect. If playing a game taught you as much about the world and humanity as classic books do then they'd be the perfect form of entertainment, but until then you need both to be a well rounded individual.
InsertMoreCredit on 20 Jun '11 said:
I can't actually believe some of the comments in this thread. http://grcade.com/images/smilies/icon_facepalm.gif
I'd be amazed if some of you have don't have trouble wiping your own backsides.
"er, yeah, like watching television and playing games will, like, teach you to read well good 'n sh*t"
hi0marc on 20 Jun '11 said:
Nice idea, i'm sure "turn the lights off, put down the book and go to sleep" would be equally adept to certain situations.
Sammy_bham on 20 Jun '11 said:
like i said (if you could read) you end up reading in a big portion of video games.
having knowledge is the same if hear, read it or see it.
literacy is a totally different skill.
I havent read a book in about 9 years. But yet my IQ is 147.
figure that one out??
exactly.
intelligence has nothing to do with reading, it comes down to knowledge and actual ability.
being clever, having knowledge and knowing how to read are all totally different.
Ive got A levels and im a manager in my current job. and how many books have I read in my life? only what school made me. children books, the secret of nimh and hamlet. Already forgotted most of them.
Just because i dont read books, has no bearing on my intelligence, my ability to read, my everyday skills or my job.
lots of people i know i know read all the time, but i can safley say im more intelligent and more capable then they are.
again, having knowledge of shakesspear, modern and historic warfare, the victorian times, the great depression, graphic design, art, mathmatics etc, doesnt mean i need to read lots of books to aquire that skill.
yes reading can help in many ways, memory, and literacy skills. for sure.
and i read everyday, at work, on games in my everyday life.
My computer programming skills are through the roof. i cant remember reading a book to get to where i am in life.
so my previous points are still valid.
altitude2k on 20 Jun '11 said:
There really are some petty and pedantic morons on this site.
Maybe it's their incredible ability to take things out of context and entirely at face value that inspired his comment...
almanac2015 on 20 Jun '11 said:
Half of the so-called 'classics' are pretty s**te and uninteresting to a child or teenager. By all means encourage them to read one or two of the 'classics' just so if they like them, they can read more in the future, but would they encourage a 12 year old to read? As good as they are meant to be, I'd say it is far more important to get kids to read a book they find interesting than academic. Academic books they can get to later.
sonic_uk on 20 Jun '11 said:
No thanks Barack, I can't think of anything more boring than reading a book. I'll stick with gaming, Tv and Movies if its all the same.
Oh yes, and if you think videogames are responsible for bad parenting you seriously need a reality check. Why don't you come over to the Uk and give our government a kick up the backside and make them reform the pathetic law and sentencing system we have over here if you want to sort out bad parenting as its pretty much formed in a persons youth when ideas and a sense of right and wrong are formed by the individual and the consequences (or not in the case of the Uk) of their actions. Don't blame videogames as a scapegoat for your own incompetence.
kimoak on 20 Jun '11 said:
Reading books makes you fat. Fact! I know this because I made it up.
Multiplayerking on 20 Jun '11 said:
Haha, I definitely agree to that!
As for Obama, just because you had a troubled childhood doesn't mean you can boss us around!
Or does it?
Imaduck on 20 Jun '11 said:
Shakespeare is the biggest load of bs I have ever read. I was forced to read them in school and despised them. There was no direct simple answers, no straight descriptions, it was just snobby as f**k, very ..... French. Everything in them is complicated just for the sake of complexity. Seriously, if you think Shakespeare is good stuff, read a Misummer Night's Dream ... f**king hell man. The only one I actually enjoyed was Macbeth, the story was good. The writing, was horrible.
jtake9 on 20 Jun '11 said:
I turned off my video game and picked up my copy of "Replay:The History of Video Games"
Imaduck on 20 Jun '11 said:
1. Take disc out of drive
2. Return it to case
3. Remove manual from case
4. Read manual
5. Replace manual in case
6. Remove disc from case
7. Place disc in console
= happeh Obamalama!
verynaughtyboy on 20 Jun '11 said:
Firstly, do reading the instruction manuals and the rear of the games case count?
Secondly... @orgasmatron - "Well most of the children learns to read through video games..." Oh dear, with that grammar you have backed up Obama's point. Seriously man, read some books, there's something for everyone.
Imaduck on 20 Jun '11 said:
Buy some pron books! that'll get you reading and learning your p's and q's ... and many other interesting words and stuff
robbo666 on 20 Jun '11 said:
I understand his sentiments that children need to concentrate on their studies, but video games, for alot of people, are a release and a break from a hard days studying/working. I would encourage reading, but also playing video games that are fun and engaging with children, using games such as Call of Duty and Fifa (Madden i suppose for americans) to raise children is just wrong, if they have an interest in football take them to the park for a kickaround, then use fifa as a teaching aid to show different movements and the use of tactics can influence a game. To lay the blame of a countries problems at one door is just plain ignorant. Not to plug the show, but jamie oliver's food revolution in the US raised alot of points that need to be addressed that probably never will be, one being what we put into our bodies directly reflects what we get out of it, so we eat junk our body performs poorly, just the same way we treat our minds and bodies with video games, if we sit all day playing crap and not changing up the habbit then our minds will decay and out bodies along with them. So yes, Mr Obama, Video games need to be turned off once in a while, but when used properly can be a great form of entertainment and learning all at the same time.
verynaughtyboy on 20 Jun '11 said:
"I havent read a book in about 9 years. But yet my IQ is 147."
I could be wrong but I don't think that your IQ is anything to do with how you stimulate yourself mentally. I think that it is just a figure that gives an idea of your potential or even intellectual capacity. Judging you based on your syntax and spelling I would suggest that you ought to read a few books. It's quite embarassing that you are telling us how clever you are and that you have had no need to read and yet you write at a level I would expect from a 12 year old. Sorry man but when you bang a drum you draw attention to yourself.
Barca Azul on 20 Jun '11 said:
Extremely tiring!
I do agree with him though. Although there is only so much you can teach some people!
imbusydoctorwho on 20 Jun '11 said:
What did I just do?
I read it was fun,need to read more.
Legend Turtle on 21 Jun '11 said:
What is better a book or a computer game?
Book's cheaper and lasts longer but requires more specialist skills to appreciate - I think that's what Obama probably meant.
xabi on 21 Jun '11 said:
he is just a s**t head... he had nothing to say so he said stop them from playing video games... phewww ass...
sonic_uk on 21 Jun '11 said:
Lol.
I also agree with your Shakespear comments. I like you was forced to study/read some of his work at school and found it tedious, boring and hated the way it took him three whole pages of text to describe/explain what he could of said in a single sentence.
rbt2 on 21 Jun '11 said:
If I'm honest, I love a good book. I think what puts many off continuing reading after leaving school are the books you were made to read. Shakespeare bored the s**t outta me (The Merchant Of Venice weren't bad mind) but I appreciated what a literary influence and giant he was. In indeed he existed as a theory goes that it was Francis Bacon under a pseudonym, but I digress. Shakespeare was very much 'of his time', a bit like Charlie Chaplin really. Never found him funny but millions in the 20's would disagree.
Anyhoo, I've prattled on so much I've forgot my point....oh yeah, reading books broadens the mind.
krazykunal85 on 21 Jun '11 said:
True... As a parent I agree you shouldn't let kids play video games too much, but also as a parent you shoudl be able to make the decisions for yourselves... that is why we are ADULTS and have to set an example for our kids.
Balladeer on 21 Jun '11 said:
Fair dos, although books do the same. And notice I didn't mention games at all - while most games offer a similar amount of imagination-broadening to films, there are others which allow you to create and design which can offer even more than books!
To everybody slighting Shakespeare, I think he had some hits and some misses. Looking at Romeo and Juliet in a modern light, it's a really messed-up play about teenagers killing themselves over a brief infatuation; and the Merchant of Venice is out-and-out racist. But a Midsummer's Night Dream is still great and really quite funny, and having seen David Tennant and Patrick Stewart in Hamlet I have to say that, despite the play's length, it is epic.
And his language is only snobby by modern standards. Back in the day he was the equivalent of reality TV, drama for the masses with a fair few dirty jokes thrown in. See TMoV - "We'll play for the first boy for ducats." "What, and stake down?" "No, we'll never win at that sport with stake down."
lordirongut on 21 Jun '11 said:
Romeo and Juliet was shamelessly plagiarised from Babylonian mythology. The story of Pyramus and Thisbe is identical to Romeo and Juliet in every way apart from the names, and predates it by thousands of years. And then, to rub salt in the wound, he recycled the names Pyramus and Thisbe in A Midsummer Night's Dream!
Balladeer on 21 Jun '11 said:
I believe it said it in another thread: everyone rips off everyone else.
k-mysta on 21 Jun '11 said:
so true.i will certainly pick one up barack my man.but see,skryim comes out soon.but after that definitely picking one up.oh but then theres uncharted 3.so after that i'll get one.ah i forgot,mass effect 3.absolutley definitely after that...come to think of it gta might be out when i'm done with those so i guess it would have to be after gta....you know what?i'll try barack.i will try.thats the best i can offer
eye.of.despair on 22 Jun '11 said:
Its a fairly good statement.. just said by IMO an inappropriate person.
shyvoodoo on 23 Jun '11 said:
He has a point!!
I mean seriously, if you have a problem with what this guy said then you either:
1. Don't have children or
2. A Degenerate
Do the world a favor and DON'T REPRODUCE!!
everybody hates that video games are getting a bad rap but I'm sorry folks that's what most of these kids are doing nowadays.
There was a picture on the front page of my local paper of a kid SLEEP IN CLASS but then
a few pages later, shows THE SAME KID wide eyed, staring at the tv with a xbox controller in his hand.
There's too many adults walking around who can't put a complete sentence together.
If you took what he said personal then maybe you are the one he's talking too.
Kids nowadays consider reading boring unless it on their smartphone and most parents use video games as a way to
"keep the kids in check" or "shut them up" to make their lives easier. It's a problem where a kid don't know where the capital of the country is but he can tell you how to navigate Liberty City....
ben
voodoo
wuntuwuntu on 23 Jun '11 said:
Video games can be a useful tool to keep kids safe, off the street and out of trouble from doing dumb s**t. Try sitting them down with a book that isn't homework and compulsory reading.... no chance. Reading and absorbing a good story should be fun and taught from a young age. If the U.S President is telling parents to stop their kids from playing games and pick up a book it invariably means that that boat has sailed already and their is no turning back. You can't go back and undo bad parenting.
shyvoodoo on 23 Jun '11 said:
I completely agree with your point...
No, he's not saying to put away video games completely. He has nothing against video games
as he applauded a program that taught kids about game development and he himself has appeared in a few video games
so he has nothing against them. All he's saying is "hey mix in a book, magazine or something" that's gonna stimulate the mind from time to time... that's it!!
mister on 23 Jun '11 said:
This post makes no sense 'Oh f**k off.' ....... ' I do think kids should read more.'
Video games are not all mario and sonic anymore, anymore than TV is Howdy-doody and Lassie. They've evolved far beyond tv broadcasts as well because they are total fantasy, like animated shows. Politicians are supposed to care about the citizens they represent despite all the "mind your own business Obama!!" sentiment. Crackheads also want people out of their personal lives. The parents of the kids that shot up Colombine might have allowed the deathmatch games to take the reigns in instilling values into their kids. We know there are some parents who openly call themselves lazy and admit to letting the media raise their kids so it's not hard to imagine that there are more who think that that's ok.
I'm an avid gamer, so my son has access to over 100 games at all times and would never stop playing if I encouraged him to immerse himself in games. Using video games in moderation in 2011 is as difficult for kids as eating in moderation at the buffet. The difference is that kids don't have the maturity to know when enough is enough, and if you have a lazy parent shoving them at a screen all day every day, then shame on that parent cause they're depriving that child of experiences that can't be had in front of the television.
And folks are mad at Obama for suggesting that there is more to life than games. Our last pres liked video games so much he played his own personal modern warfare game in Iraq!
I guess he wanted a new map cause he wasn't winning on the other one.
I'm glad our current president is making a point of saying basically, Video games weren't invented so that you don't have to spend time with your kids anymore. Reading to children is what people have always done with children that they love, if they themselves can read. Whoever thinks that it takes too much effort to read their kids a story should put their kids up for adoption. Even orphanages read to the children there.
mister on 23 Jun '11 said:
Yeah! Isn't it obvious how inappropriate this guy is! Like he's a parent! Or a role model! Or a powerful figure!
Oh yeah I guess he's all of those......
Well whatever!! he's still inappropriate!! Just look at him, he's got inappropriate written all over his face!
alan666 on 23 Jun '11 said:
i bet Bush loves playing a bit of COD
rbt2 on 23 Jun '11 said:
I've been with some bush that smells like cod.
oOo ZOMBIE oOo on 25 Jun '11 said:
He would soon moan if people stopped playing games and read books instead, think how many tax dollars they would lose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jtthegame on 26 Jun '11 said:
i think its is wrong of him to preach that. i was not really into reading books as a kid except for reading video game magazines. i played a lot of videogames as kid it never did me any harm. If i had kids i would not mind weather they choose to play games or read a book because either way they would not be harming anyone else. If they choose to play games though i would not tell em to turn it off and read a book that is rediculous
jtthegame on 26 Jun '11 said:
Why do these people single out video games all the time?
superfruit on 27 Jun '11 said:
Given the amount of spelling mistakes in your post, it's quite clear you haven't read many books. When we will people stop with the redicule? It's ridicule...RIDICULE......RIDICULE!!!! HULK SMASH!!!
TV and games are virtual baby sitting, I know this as a parent. It's an easy option for a lot of people who have children and then can't be bothered to nurture their intelligence because they want a break from it all.
KillerKing on 27 Jun '11 said:
i tried, but the graphics were too horrible for me to even complete it
Legend Turtle on 22 Jul '11 said:
Oh yeah - the last few books I tried are all just like one massive long QTE but with only turning pages, and you can't switch off the subtitles. They're just broken.