Eric Schmidt, Google's Executive Chairman, Challenges College Graduates To 'Take Your Eyes Off That Screen'

By Ross Kerber

May 20 (Reuters) - Google Inc Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt challenged college graduates on Sunday to take the radical step -- at least for their generation -- of tearing their eyes away from their smartphones and computer screens.

"Take one hour a day and turn that thing off," Schmidt told graduates at Boston University, where he received an honorary degree and was applauded by an audience that had grown up relying on the technology company's search engine, e-mail and other services.

"Take your eyes off that screen and look into the eyes of the person you love. Have a conversation, a real conversation," Schmidt said.

Schmidt's advice came midway through his remarks and provided context around his broader message that electronic tools such as social media are positive forces. He said that "a distinctive feature of your new world is that you can be unique while being completely connected." That feature, he said, is a "fulfillment of the American dream."

Google executives are comfortable with broad statements, having made "Don't be evil" a business motto and battled governments over Internet freedoms.

In his remarks, Schmidt did not address policy issues or business topics such as last week's initial public offering of Facebook Inc, in many spaces a Google rival. Schmidt also offered traditional sentiments that included urging graduates to reach high and not be afraid to fail.

He also emphasized they will be armed with technology as never before. "You are emblems of the sense of possibility that will define this age," he said, adding that, "If you're awake, you're online, you're connected.

"Some of you are probably tweeting this speech right now."

On Twitter, Miles Branman, who identifies himself as a Boston University student, quoted another part of Schmidt's speech and wrote: "Listening to Eric Schmidt of Google, advising us to write the code for all of us (the world) at #BU2012 Commencement."

Also on Twitter, Boston Univesity Dean of Students Kenn Elmore wrote: "Eric Schmidt works it at #BU2012 Commencement."

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Comments

[vobox3343]

11:45 AM on 05/22/2012

Google, the greatest spy machine on the planet.

[authorized-user]

08:51 AM on 05/22/2012

"Take your eyes off that screen and look into the eyes of the person you love. Have a conversation, a real conversation," Schmidt said.

Funny he mentions this now as he is speaking to a generation of zombies who consume but don't create.

( don't get me started on this)

[vobox3343]

11:48 AM on 05/22/2012

What he meant was this: Take your eyes off the screen look into the eyes of the person you love, go outside and wave - you're on google camera.

[Blah]

01:09 PM on 05/21/2012

Did anyone else, when looking at the photo and preview of this article from the main page, think of Rodney Dangerfield in Back to School?

[oral surgeon]

11:48 AM on 05/21/2012

all the hype...all the greed....people...all the money that was going to be made had been made...
just exactly what does FB sell..It' not like it's Apple???

[allwarisbad]

09:26 PM on 07/02/2012

On a thread regarding Google CEO , why r u mentioning FB and Apple?
Can u explain clearly what you mean?

[Sundialsvc4]

11:11 AM on 05/21/2012

The narcissistic self-absorption of people, coupled strangely with their incessant urge to (for example) broadcast pictures of their breakfasts before eating the meal, may go down as one of the most strange episodes of human history. "When presented with the ultimate global network and hand-held computers, they broadcast pictures of eggs."

When you are graduating(!) from(!) College(!)," that happens to be a lifetime-moment. You should "be there," enjoying it and not real-time reporting it from your chair.

Not-so-subtle throughout the entire lifestyle of "today's generation" is that, no matter what you do or say at any particular instant in time, it is nevertheless profoundly interesting to "hundreds of your friends." And there is instant gratification, served up alongside a double helping of advertisements, to back that proposition up.

It's Pavlovian, really, and as such, it's not even skin-deep. Real life isn't televised. Real life isn't always about goals. Most importantly, real life is not about yourself. There may be no reward at all ... not just "no reward for a long time" but "at all." Except that you were there, in the moment, having the experience or the revelation or what-have-you and as it happens your portable phone was out of power and as it turns out you didn't miss it one bit.

[stepfordhusband]

10:49 AM on 05/21/2012

He forgot to mention that google is in the ad business and it follows your movements from site to site collecting information about your surfing habits then tailor designing advertisements based on this and your search history. By the way he's too late I'm sure more than half of the graduating students where updating some nonsense on the phones during his speech. What a generation we created.....

[vobox3343]

11:50 AM on 05/22/2012

Exactly!

[Davey Johnson]

10:47 AM on 05/21/2012

Yawn.

[tissa]

10:24 AM on 05/21/2012

Facebook is evil.

[allwarisbad]

09:27 PM on 07/02/2012

This is Google here, pay attention ...

[chiefseal]

09:57 AM on 05/21/2012

Create a monster have we Schmidt ?

[Larry McElhinney]

09:52 AM on 05/21/2012

Eric Schmidt = Pure EVIL

[abbienormal]

08:16 AM on 05/21/2012

Hear! Hear!

[Abdi S]

07:49 AM on 05/21/2012

Yes, take your eyes off of that screen,and have sex with real girlfriend. Lol

[IrieMoon]

09:51 AM on 05/21/2012

If they even have one.

[Peter Flitner]

02:49 AM on 05/22/2012

I used to til the EX ran off to Wisconsin to have sex with someone else.

[Abdi S]

07:53 AM on 05/23/2012

I am sorry to hear that Peter but never look at the past to ruin your future. She will one days witness her current bf cheat on her.

[mountainweb]

06:23 AM on 05/21/2012

Bottom line, what he is really saying is that you need balance in your life! Learn that being connected is good, but, being connected only electronically forces you to miss out on the benefits of being connected face to face.

[AngelicDove30]

10:02 AM on 05/21/2012

Agree.

[KIVPossum]

05:54 AM on 05/21/2012

Sad that for many people their entire social life is FB and Twitter to tell virtual 'friends' what they are doing.

[mountainweb]

06:27 AM on 05/21/2012

As if people really care and get all excited that you are sitting in Starbucks having a cup of coffee. Because if that excites your friends then you need to find some that are not so shallow and superficial ...

[Chloe CZ]

09:13 AM on 05/21/2012

Those people are sad. They lose real life if they do all the things electronically without physically entering the world outside of their desktop.

[lastpost]

05:08 AM on 05/21/2012

"tearing their eyes away from their smartphones and computer screens."
and ignoring what Google's doing.

"Take one hour a day and turn that thing off"
Better still, spread real perspective by turning brains on.

"Have a conversation, a real conversation,"
Ask impertinent questions, and get a few pertinent answers.

"electronic tools such as social media are positive forces."
Yet Google's becoming a bottomless pit for imprisoned souls.

"you can be unique while being completely connected"
to the prisoner of the state either side, by snooper shackles.

"the American dream."
A Land of the Fleeced?

"Don't be evil"
and do not question. Others have been appointed to do that.

"Schmidt did not address policy issues"
like Google becoming a proactive rather than a passive partner, in terms of people progress.

"Schmidt also offered traditional sentiments that included urging graduates to reach high"
and not make any sudden moves.

"they will be armed with technology"
with Google holding the firing codes.

"If you're awake, you're online, you're connected."
But only to a virtual-life support machine.

"tweeting this speech right now."
Disseminating but not dissecting it.

"write the code for all of us (the world)"
The meaning of life is, life itself ensuring the continuity of the species. Since only a deity is a binary entity.

"Eric Schmidt works"
yet has a finite functional expectancy. Should he intend to leave a legacy to life, best do it soon.

[LaoShur]

06:19 AM on 05/21/2012

I'm sorry, but I'm missing your point. For me Google (or "the" Google according to GW Bush) is merely a search engine that I use to access information.