When everyone first heard about Pokémon-Go, our inner child-like spirits squealed with joy. The thought of living our childhood dreams vicariously through our smartphones didn't even seem realistic at first. However, once I decided to give the app a try, I totally understood the hype, considering I only really watched the show on and off when I was younger.
Despite initial confusion on the little quirks of the game, I picked up the concepts quite easily. I walked around my neighborhood all by my lonesome in an attempt to catch them all, only to run into neighbors and former high school classmates playing the game as well. It summons a sense of nostalgia for many millennials, resulting in a large number of players throughout the nation (and the world).
About a day or two later, a few friends and I decided to go on a nature walk at one of the local parks. However, considering that we are so dependent on our mobile devices, we eventually figure out who in the group is playing Pokémon. We look up from our screens to see people bolting from various locations within the area scavenging for the various creatures in their own personal virtual reality.
As we continue to explore the area, we begin talking to other players and share mutual excitement over our accomplishments and findings. People, particularly older generations, always say that technology will be the death of interpersonal social interaction, but Pokémon-Go may have disproved that statement.
I like to believe that people will connect from this game and build lasting relationships because of its sentimental character and charm. I honestly cannot tell you the last time I chatted with total strangers in the park, if at all.
I think sometimes our generation forgets that you can meet people in person, too. It's not all online. However, due to the technological mindset of today's people, personal interactions are often inspired by what we do on our smartphones. People typically rely on the Internet to inform them of current events and everything that is happening in the world. We live our lives so attached to what's going on at our fingertips (or should I say thumbs?), that we forget that nothing will ever beat spontaneous face-to-face interaction.
I believe that we will continue to Snapchat and FaceTime all day long, and maybe we just crave to hear the sound of someone's voice over the phone every so often, but perhaps this game could encourage and reinforce the idea of relationships built off of initially meeting in person.
While some people may take it to an extreme and risk their lives in the process, Pokémon-Go has a number of qualities that make it such a worthwhile addition to your smartphone's app inventory.
Thank you, Pokémon-Go, for reminding people that it's okay to go out into the real world and interact with each other, too.
