As I write, the internet is buzzing with news that President Obama has actually, really, provably taken to Reddit to answer "Ask Me Anything" questions.
It's impossible to even try to keep up with the thread, which has over 5,000 comments at its halfway point.
You could say that this is a clever way to distract attention from the Republican National Convention, and connect with young voters. But was Reddit the right place for him to go?
This is a community that represents the best and worst of the internet. At its best, it provides unfiltered and immediate information and opinions on emerging events, trends and ideas.
At its worst, well. It is a haven for creeps who steal people's private pictures and repost them for each other's sick pleasure, for assholes to bully abuse victims, to provide support groups for rapists, make racist rants, and until recently — share child pornography.
Is this the equivalent of Jesus hanging out with sinners, or has the President accidentally given his critics ammunition against him for validating a very controversial forum?
I guess we'll see.
But for now, there's this:
Is being American unpresidential? Because you could easily apply everything you said about reddit to America, too. The few do not represent the many. Feels like linkbait, Tom.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting. I'm not sure any of my posts isn't 'linkbait', in one way or another. They're all just provocative opinions or questions offered up to willing readers.
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