You Didn't Build That: The Obama Guide to Parenting

This article was adapted from an earlier posting on abu al-fin


Obama's approach to tough love parenting is illustrated below, in an average American family setting. Observe, and learn.

Notice the "tough but firm" approach used by the parents to put their overly-independent daughter in her place. In Obama tough love parenting, the individual ego must be firmly suppressed whenever it shows its ugly head. "You didn't build that" is a most effective ego-disciplinary phrase, which President Obama thought of all by himself.

The priceless book: "Honey, You Didn't Build That!: President Obama's Little Red Book of Tough Love Parenting" is chock-full of other totally original sayings by the US President who is also a bringer of light.


And just to reinforce that you will not be building anything in the future -- and that everything will be built by replicators -- this Wired feature spotlights The Replicator 2 by Makerbot.

Imagine children learning to program such 3D printers to create all kinds of objects and machines. As children grow older, the "toys" they create can grow more sophisticated -- and more dangerous.

As replicating "inks" grow more varied and more capable, the limits on types of objects which can be created will retreat into the horizon. From weapons to vehicles to adventure toys to shelters and more, the list of things "you didn't build" is apt to grow very, very long.