Pokémon Go Isn't Destroying Society...

Pokémon GO is an unprecedented phenomenon. We see this economically and digitally — Nintendo is $8 billion more valuable than it was last week and the app is used more than Tinder and Twitter — but look around; we see this socially. Catch anyone swiping quickly upwards on their smartphones and there’s a great chance they are throwing a poké ball at some elusive Rapidash (more likely Pidgey). Go to a park or walk down the main drag of a city and you will see dozens of people playing Pokémon Go together.

The knee-jerk reaction to this, to all media-based crazes since there was media, is to say the game is destroying society. Yes, kids are on their phones now more than ever, yes, people are inappropriately playing in sacred locations like holocaust museums and graveyards, yes, people have been robbed while looking for lures, or have found dead bodies. Such Poké Alarmism rings of previous social panics over pornography, or cell phones, or banned books. If you focus on the negative and buy into the bias that fueled those panics, yes, it does look like Pokémon GO is making society worse.

Look up from the tall grass and see all the ways that Pokémon GO is making society better.

Some people have recently developed an opinion that the new Pokémon Go is somehow making society worse off than it was. I'm not sure if that is even possible but I think that they are wrong wrong wrong.



My cousin in Cali is married and he tells me that his wife and teenage daughter have been spending more quality time together than ever before. I have heard stories similar to this since Pokémon Go has released State-side and that's a good thing!

Businesses are already capitalizing onPokémon GO‘s ubiquity with discounts and deals, but so are groups looking to do something beneficial for society. Above, an animal shelter is encouraging users to walk their “Pokemon dogs” while they play. It’s just one viral example of the good this particular game can and will do.

Isn't that BRILLIANT!? It really warms my heart and I really hope people take advantage of it to hatch their eggs. How is that bad?



Furthermore, an Australian man that suffers from severe mental issues claims PGo has helped him better cope with his condition:

I’m a twenty three year old in Australia with some serious problems with mental health, which translates to not caring about anything at all…I don’t look for sympathy, as I find that to be a weak quality in someone but… for a while I’ve been incredibly weak, so weak that my three goals each day are starving myself, regret and trying not to think about suicide. When I’m out in public the few times I am, I put on a happy face to let everyone know I’m ok but in reality, I just wanted to die.

NOW, Pokemon GO releases on the 6th of July in Australia and a friend of mine tells me to give it a go because I’m such an avid pokemon fan, so I go finally buy some phone credit and download the app…

In the past 4 days, I have walked over 50km, I’ve met some cool people, I didn’t cry once, I’ve gotten rid of some semi-permanent artist block and photoshopped some things, I got a date with a girl for Saturday and I walked into a bar and got an interview for Monday.

Pokémon Go Isn't Destroying Society, It's Making It Better.



Viral Photo Shows Pokemon Go Bringing Police, Young People Together

...in Fall River, it looks like the game is proving to be a unique way for police to get involved with young people in the community. The department posted a few photos to Twitter Sunday of a police officer and some youths with their phones out, looking for Pokemon.

Anything that brings is closer is always a good thing. Maybe in the future we won't fight wars, we'll battle pokémon. Just like Lieutenant Surge.

I hate people who are glued to their phones but at least it's getting more people up and off the couch, outdoors and walking around.

It's the first "video game" where you have to get off your ass and outside.

MysticPearl

Actually, Niantic, the studio that devs PGo made a similar game a few years ago called Ingress.

a reply to: CagliostroTheGreat

Holy crap... This thing is everywhere... On the news, in ads all over the damn place...

I've seen so many people playing the game just in the last two days

I see nothing wrong with it, and its a pretty good game so far... I've met a few people here and there playing... looking for critters in the same area i am

I could imagine some people wandering aimlessly into traffic... and i have heard a story about some idiot stopping his car in the middle of the highway to catch a pokemon

All in all... Im playin... its fun.... gets me out off my ass more so then before

I know you aren't trying to spread it, but this thread is pure propaganda whether you realize it or not. Similar trendy apps are a detriment to society unless they benefit our health or well-being. Pokemon Go does neither and keeps it's patrons chasing the wrong reality.

a reply to: eisegesis

Wrong reality? Please indulge me in the right reality?

eisegesis

It's actually Pokéganda, get it right before you start making accusations. However, I find your opinion silly.

Last time I checked, getting off the couch and taking a walk was good for your health. People need games and hobbies, if we didn't have them, we might all end up as self depricating, overly morose lumps of skin.

tikbalang

Why, that would be the one that strictly aligns with his core beliefs of course.

originally posted by: eisegesis
I know you aren't trying to spread it, but this thread is pure propaganda whether you realize it or not. Similar trendy apps are a detriment to society unless they benefit our health or well-being. Pokemon Go does neither and keeps it's patrons glued to the wrong reality.

Have you seen reality lately? No thanks.

a reply to: Akragon

Yes, what the hell, people getting together to stare at their phones some more.

Woo hoo

CagliostroTheGreat

Shoot me please. I don't have the balls to do it myself.

ABC World News just had a segment on it.

Of all the more important things going on in the world and in this country and they devote a section of their 22 minutes to #n pokemon go proves that society is indeed going to hell.

Gotta keep the masses occupied and sedated somehow..

Oh wait, The Gay American Bachelor is on TV...i'll bbl

originally posted by: CagliostroTheGreat
tikbalang

Why, that would be the one that strictly aligns with his core beliefs of course.

I believe its this

a reply to: CagliostroTheGreat

Last time I checked, getting off the couch and taking a walk was good for your health. People need games and hobbies, if we didn't have them, we might all end up as self depricating, overly morose lumps of skin.

Anyone up until this point who required or was inspired to use Pokemon Go as a reason to get up and walk was pathetic to begin with. Whether they can "evolve" past mouth breather status is based upon how many real life goals they're willing to "catch" outside of their secondary, fluffy reality.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Akragon

Yes, what the hell, people getting together to stare at their phones some more.

Woo hoo

it seems that way.... Found myself in the middle of a field about an hour ago...

Caught the little bastard though

Actually we think they are the first incarnation of Epsilon semi-morons,brought ON by the cell phones,which might as well be surgically grafted to them the way the are stuck to them.
WE just don't know how they get them with those.
a reply to: CagliostroTheGreat

originally posted by: Akragon

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Akragon

Yes, what the hell, people getting together to stare at their phones some more.

Woo hoo

it seems that way.... Found myself in the middle of a field about an hour ago...

Caught the little bastard though

Found your self...? Used to be called sleep walking, now its phone walking.

originally posted by: intrptr

originally posted by: Akragon

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Akragon

Yes, what the hell, people getting together to stare at their phones some more.

Woo hoo

it seems that way.... Found myself in the middle of a field about an hour ago...

Caught the little bastard though

Found your self...? Used to be called sleep walking, now its phone walking.

ahem.... Let me rephrase

I Found my Spearow in the middle of a field...

a reply to: eisegesis

I live in a community where most of us knows each other, i have a dog, i usually take a 5km walk everyday.. today it was 20km, until the batterylife on my phone shut it off.. I enjoyed it, i really enjoyed searching for a pokemon, i enjoyed going to pokestops and being informed about an artwork or an statue that i before just walked by..
I enjoyed seeing families looking for pokemons with their kids, and i loved seeing people who havent been outside for the last couple of years.. I meet people you see clearly could see had mental issues, that looked happy..

I saw people being happy, if i game can bring a bit of joy to people.. Im sold.. For me that is it..

originally posted by: tikbalang
a reply to: eisegesis

Wrong reality? Please indulge me in the right reality?

I can't. Reality is in the eye of the perceiver. One can have or force their mind to perceive a drastically different reality than the next person and still not cause harm to themselves or others.

a reply to: Akragon

No you didn't.

Next time you 'find one' turn your camera off, you will be there all alone...

Oh the humanity.