Firstpost
  • Home
  • Video Shows
    Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
  • World
    US News
  • Explainers
  • News
    India Opinion Cricket Tech Entertainment Sports Health Photostories
  • Asia Cup 2025
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
Trending:
  • Nepal protests
  • Nepal Protests Live
  • Vice-presidential elections
  • iPhone 17
  • IND vs PAK cricket
  • Israel-Hamas war
fp-logo
Google's Schmidt to graduates: Turn computers off for an hour
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
  • Home
  • Tech
  • News & Analysis
  • Google's Schmidt to graduates: Turn computers off for an hour

Google's Schmidt to graduates: Turn computers off for an hour

Padmini Harchandrai • May 21, 2012, 15:09:29 IST
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter

This past weekend was graduation weekend at many universities across the United States and as a result, …

Advertisement
Subscribe Join Us
Add as a preferred source on Google
Prefer
Firstpost
On
Google
Google's Schmidt to graduates: Turn computers off for an hour

This past weekend was graduation weekend at many universities across the United States and as a result, many graduation speeches were made involving advice and words of wisdom for the young people stepping out into the world. Google’s Executive Chairman, Eric Schmidt made such a speech at the Boston University graduation yesterday. His advice? To divert eyes from computer screens and mobile phones for at least an hour everyday. Schmidt said, “Take one hour a day and turn that thing off. Take your eyes off that screen and look into the eyes of the person you love. Have a conversation, a real conversation.” Schmidt, himself had received an honorary degree from Boston University and was speaking to students who relied heavily on his company’s many services to complete their academic requirements.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Copyright bills the stare from Mr. Schmidt

Eric Schmidt says we should turn off for an hour everyday

Although challenging students to turn away from their technology for an hour everyday, his broader message was one of embracing tech. He said that electronic tools, like social media are positive forces and that a distinctive feature of this generation’s new world is that individuals can be unique while still being completely connected. He said that this feature is the fulfillment of the American dream. Schmidt did not involve any business or policy items in his speech, however he advised the graduating students to reach high and not be afraid to fall. He said that this generation will be armed with technology like no other generation has been before. He said, “If you’re awake, you’re online, you’re connected.” To drive his point home, he said, “Some of you are probably tweeting this speech right now.”

More from News & Analysis
What is the US HIRE Bill and why is India’s $250-billion IT sector worried? What is the US HIRE Bill and why is India’s $250-billion IT sector worried? Is the internet dead? What's this theory that OpenAI's Sam Altman says might be true? Is the internet dead? What's this theory that OpenAI's Sam Altman says might be true?

Schmidt, as reflected in his talking points, was not afraid of making broad statements in the same fashion that several other Google executives regularly do. The Google motto is, in fact, “Don’t be evil”, and the company itself has fought battles with many governments over Internet freedom. Schmidt’s speech, however, does seem balanced in the sense that he talks about how great technology can be and how much it can help young people, while at the same time, infusing a little bit of a reality check in saying that young people need to challenge themselves to disconnect for an hour everyday. Do you take an hour off everyday and talk to another human being in person? Do you think that it’s important to do that? Let us know in the comments section below. 

News sources

Tags
Eric Schmidt General Google Eric Schmidt Schmidt BU
End of Article
Written by Padmini Harchandrai
Email

Paddy does not, we repeat, definitely does NOT belong in the category of Mac-head (yeh right!). She does get excited by her iPhone and her iMac and her iPod Nano and her Macbook and Bali's iPad and her future iHouse (patent pending). Ok, so maybe her head is a little bit forbidden fruit shaped. She likes shooting video (iPhone 4 camera zindabad!) and editing montages (Final Cut Pro zindabad!), whether the scene calls for it or no. In her spare time, she's either kicking it on stage with KB the keyboard or kicking butt at Taekwondo. see more

Latest News
Find us on YouTube
Subscribe
End of Article

Top Stories

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Top Shows

Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
Latest News About Firstpost
Most Searched Categories
  • Web Stories
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • IPL 2025
NETWORK18 SITES
  • News18
  • Money Control
  • CNBC TV18
  • Forbes India
  • Advertise with us
  • Sitemap
Firstpost Logo

is on YouTube

Subscribe Now

Copyright @ 2024. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved

About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms Of Use
Home Video Shorts Live TV