Pokemon NO?
I think back to when I was a kid. I remember clearly still the original Pokemon. I loved that game! I played that game for MONTHS! So of course my attention diverts when facebook erupts in Pokemon pics and chatter.
Shortly after that, I see walls upon walls of Pokemon GO hate. It alarmed me some of the people with such strong negative opinions about the game. Apparently this game turn people into zombies and idiots!
So I got curious and I installed it to see what the rage was all about. I also wanted to see if I was the very best, the best there ever was.
So far I noticed these interesting things about the game...
- The application doesn't run unless you tell it to.
- It doesn't force you to stare at the screen.
- It doesn't order you to run out into traffic.
- It doesn't compel you to capture Pokemon while driving.
In the end, Pokemon GO is just an application. It's the user who applies it.
Analysis
The application doesn't create anything except an experience. Some people who tend to make bad choices are going to play Pokemon GO and make more bad choices. It's not the game making the decision, it's the person.
On the other hand, there's communities socializing in parks all over this country while catching Pokemon. These communities are already thriving. For some of these people, this is the most exercise they have got in a long time, and they are enjoying it. For that, I am glad.
They are also building friendships with other people sharing common interests. It's pretty amazing, looking at it for that angle.
Just because a subset of a community makes bad choices doesn't make the entire community bad. This goes for Pokemon Go players, Christians, Ethnicities, Cultures. Whatever.
I want to share a positive story I received regarding Pokemon GO.
Testimony
Michael's Story
... it's fantastic, it's getting me off my lazy butt, that's for sure.
In the last three days I've gone out of my way to take lengthy walks outside and just yesterday my fiancee and I went on a short walk around Hermann Park that ended up being about 4 kilometers, which considering our previous activity level, is very nice!
... it's having a similar effect on other people. We were walking around talking to other people who were out catching pokemon, too, and it was awesome. Half the people at the park, if not more than that, were doing the same thing and so everyone's exchanging tips and telling people where they say this or that pokemon.
That's kind of an amazing thing for a single app to do, it just created this community overnight, or reinvigorated one that has existed for many years.
Nataly's Story
Been playing it with [family] a lot .... We love bumping into other families playing it.
We've had an overall positive experience. Love that it gets us out of the house and encourages us to walk. I've met new people in the community and parks that have been empty for ages are being used.
Note
Last night my wonderful wife and I ran into Nataly and her crew at Boondoggles Pub. Completely unplanned. We talked about Pokemon and a bunch of other things.
About every 5 minutes, we'd peek at Pokemon, tag the Pokestop, and capture available Pokemon. It was a great time.
Comments