To make his point, Clinton spoke about economic inequalities and the huge disparity between the rich and poor, both in the U.S. and around the world. He also briefly addressed the ongoing "Wikileaks issue" as an example of instability in cyber security.
The whistleblower organization and its creator have come under intense fire from the U.S. government following the publication of confidential diplomatic cables. Clinton spoke of the matter as regrettable, pointing to the untold stories of people who have been outed and lost their jobs as a result of publication. He also anticipates that world leaders and diplomats will be more reluctant to speak to the U.S. for fear of another lapse in cyber security, as he describes it.
The 42nd U.S. President, who arrived roughly 45 minutes late due to inclement weather conditions, spoke in stark contrast to the preceding optimistic message shared by musician Stevie Wonder. Clinton's message was peppered with somber words on everything from the state of education, healthcare and the U.S. economy.
According to Clinton, the idea that the American Dream is most available in America has become a myth.
Still, he left room for hope and appealed to the audience to use technology to lessen inequality, instability and unsustainability in the world. From Clinton's perspective, it's merely a matter of finding a way to use technology to solve discrete challenges.
"You can be a risk-taker in answering the 'how' question," he said. "You are all sitting in these chairs because you are in the tomorrow business."
