Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

October 10, 2008

Okay, so that's two words. But still...

Day of the Dreamweavers yesterday mentioned the term "Atari Democrat" and it is one that I'll confess to not having heard before. According to DotD, here's the definition:

...a phrase first popularized during the early 1980s, references both the video game company Atari and Democratic legislators who suggested that the support and development of high tech and related businesses would stimulate the economy and create jobs.

Wikipedia has more, including this definition from the Philadelphia Inquirer, circa 1984:

...a young liberal trying to push the party toward more involvement with high-tech solutions.

It seems to be primarily a 1980's term. Major examples include Al Gore (after all, he did invent the Internet).

GP: Under either definition, would Barack Obama qualify as an Atari Democrat? Of course, Atari is far from the powerhouse that it was in the eighties. Apple Democrat, perhaps?

Posted in Apple Atari Barack Obama Democrats Technology

Comments

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by SeanB on Sat, 10/11/2008 - 20:08.

Al Gore never claimed to have invented the internet. Get past it already.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by C. Aaron Browbo... on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 16:29.

just remember who al gore's married to... tipper gore, true evil

Jesus Jack Jones Thompson.... is dead... (funeral udruge, followed by Celebrate :D )

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Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by PHOENIXZERO on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 15:12.

Obama is barely even an "Atari Democrat" since the last game he played was apparently Pong. Not to mention it seems like he looks down upon those who play videogames since they're "time wasters". >_>

Let's not even get started on Al Gore...

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by Kataclysmic_Kat on Sat, 10/11/2008 - 03:17.

Absolutely; they don't give two shits. They'd probably even love to see violent videogames get banned, like Clinton ...

"That which does not kill me strengthens me." -Friedrich Nietzsche

"Poor fool, he makes me laugh ..." Il Muto, Phantom of the Opera

"That which does not kill me strengthens me." -Friedrich Nietzsche "Poor fool, he makes me laugh ..." Il Muto, Phantom of the Opera

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by Paulrus on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 12:43.

I third "Nintendocrat."

I'm an attention whore. So visit my DevaintArt and feed my ego. Feed the whore. http://keaton2008.deviantart.com/

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by Dark Sovereign on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 12:26.

Nintendocrat sounds better.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by SimonBob on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 09:40.

Just as long as he's not a Tengen Democrat. (Still haven't forgiven them for the unlicenced NES port of Shinobi.)

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The Mammon Industry

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Fangamer

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by olstar18 on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 09:19.

I can't figure out why that urban legend gets spread around so much even when he isn't running for office. He did not claim to create the internet. He exact words were "I took the initiative in creating the internet." He was not claiming to invent it he was claiming to be a driving force behind the legislation that made it possible for the internet to become what it is today.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by Bennett Beeny on Sat, 10/11/2008 - 21:33.

Yeah, I don't know why this even circulates anymore, as it's been so totally discredited. I guess it shows that even GP is willing to post discredited disinformation when it suits his political viewpoint. Although it's disappointing, I guess it's nice to know GP's political bias - always good to know the politics of the news services one subscribes to.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by Quarantine on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 21:13.

I think the media had something to do with this urban legend because back then, all campaign funding was going towards the republican party. And it just stuck afterwards.

----------------------------------------

"Because this town is under the stranglehold of a few tight eyed Tree Huggers who would rather play Hacky Sack than lock up the homeless" -- Birch Barlow

---------------------------------------- "Because this town is under the stranglehold of a few tight eyed Tree Huggers who would rather play Hacky Sack than lock up the homeless" -- Birch Barlow

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by DeepThorn on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 09:06.

You are posting stories too fast, I cant keep up, haha j/k. I love it.

Atari isnt even the real Atari... It is some Finland company or something. Nolan Bushnell just sold the branding name to them for a pretty sum...

Apple might sue if you say Apple Democrats too, you might have to say Pair Democrats as a knock off, haha. I don't think we can keep it on the same level though, we have to keep it on the same level in relation to the times. So I would vote for the Tweeter Democrats maybe... Or maybe the Second Life Democrats...

Yeah... That is the only ideas I can come up with that would work...

I might have to second Nintendemocrats.

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Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by beemoh on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 09:01.

Nintendemocrat, obvs.

/b

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by Keith K on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 11:47.

I think simply 'Nintendocrat' is better.

Re: Word of the Day: Atari Democrat

Submitted by Nocturne on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 09:01.

would Barack Obama qualify as an Atari Democrat?

If he mentions ET it may be time to vote Republican

Shout box

Zen: I felt Brutal Legends was a funny & beautiful look at the world of rock from Double Fines point of view. The only parts I wasn't hot for were the RTS bits as it felt forced. Otherwise fantastic.02/12/2012 - 1:34pm

DorthLous: Passed 1.5M$. And I'd also say that Brutal Legend is far from being a bad game. I just think it was a few levels under what people expected from the people working on the project.02/11/2012 - 8:25am

Technogeek: Brutal Legend wasn't bad so much as "marketing had no idea how the game actually played", causing it to suffer accordingly.02/10/2012 - 10:38pm

RedMage: It looks the CIA's website has been DDOS'ed. Anon?02/10/2012 - 7:52pm

RedMage: Brutal Legend.02/10/2012 - 7:52pm

ddrfr33k: Has anything Tim Schafer ever made been of crap caliber? I'm struggling to think of one...02/10/2012 - 7:37pm

Guamish: I think it is in good hands. Tim did a game for the GDC award show and that was fun for how short it was.02/10/2012 - 12:22pm

Andrew Eisen: It'll be tragic if the game ultimately sucks.02/10/2012 - 12:17pm

james_fudge: $1.3 million02/10/2012 - 11:32am

Uncharted NES: Germany Says It Won't Sign ACTA [Update: ... Yet]- http://tinyurl.com/7r2twrg02/10/2012 - 11:21am

Andrew Eisen: Damn. Double Fine's Kickstarter fund has already passed a million dollars.02/09/2012 - 8:16pm

Andrew Eisen: Audrey didn't quote the sassy parts. Here's IGN's article: http://wii.ign.com/articles/121/1218359p1.html And here's my original post: http://tinyurl.com/7y68a3902/09/2012 - 7:50pm

james_fudge: I hope you some said something sassy! Where's the link?02/09/2012 - 7:46pm

Andrew Eisen: Hey, neat. IGN quoted a blog I had writen only two hours earlier. I certainly timed that one pretty well.02/09/2012 - 7:38pm

Andrew Eisen: Toki Tori has been added to the Humble Bundle for Android.02/09/2012 - 5:11pm

james_fudge: Thanks for the heads-up DorthLous02/09/2012 - 4:33pm

DorthLous: Will do, my apologies.02/09/2012 - 4:14pm

Andrew Eisen: I appreciate the heads up but please keep typo alerts to the specific article's comments or PMs.02/09/2012 - 3:33pm

DorthLous: The title says 30, but in the article, the developer says it's like a 20% net tax http://www.gamepolitics.com/2012/02/09/developers-call-facebook-currency-transaction-fee-thirty-percent-tax02/09/2012 - 2:43pm

Uncharted NES: If they actually release Final Fantasy XI for PlayStation Vita, then I will consider buying one.02/09/2012 - 12:13pm

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