The fans are obsessed. The skeptics have weighed in. Countless articles have already been written about Pokémon GO. However, I'm writing because I've seen way more pretentious and judgmental articles than positive ones.

Yes, Forbes has published some truly helpful guides to different aspects of the game, and there's a viral piece claiming that Pokémon GO dramatically improves the experiences that a mentally ill person will embark upon outdoors. I have seen educational articles explaining the personal privacy problems that the game poses. And I've seen a lot of good memes. All that content is positive.

But a lot of people who do not play Pokémon GO share negative articles about it, or post disparaging comments about how stupid and dangerous it is. When that happens, I feel like they are playing a different game: a "Better Than You" game. By showing how very aware they are about the dangers of this game, they elevate themselves above the players partaking in wholesome fun. But they sound kind of ridiculous to anyone who has real experience with the game.

To the person who says, "Everyone's just staring at their phones! We're going to become a more isolated society!" I say: You're wrong. People were staring at their phones rather than interacting long before this game's inception. And Pokémon GO has actually led me to talking to more strangers than I ever have. I'm pretty extroverted; I don't shy away from strangers, and I have probably talked to quite a few in the past. But since downloading the infamous app, I have made genuine connections with passersby on a daily basis. I didn't have to try and jump out of my comfort zone; it wasn't unnatural. It just made sense to chat about a shared hobby.

To the person who says, "Young people are so obsessed with technology! This is disgusting!" I say: Maybe they are, but chill. Pokémon GO provides fun for all ages. My friends and I approached an old man standing outside an elementary school at night; we wanted to pass him quickly so that he wouldn't judge us too harshly for playing the game on our phones. But he surprised us, saying, "Are you Poké-ing, too?" and holding out his phone to show the gameplay screen. We were so happy that he was enjoying the same thing that we were!

To the person who says, "This game is causing people to stay out late and cause a ruckus," I say: Actually, it's just causing them to have a good time in the summer, and you're saying the same thing in a negative way because you want to appear "above that." In my town, there are some Pokéstops by the courthouse, and adults have been hanging out there until about 1 a.m. And someone complained about this on Facebook. But these people were not doing anything illegal. They were not doing anything damaging to themselves or others.

To the person who says, "Little kids will get run over by cars because of this distraction!" I say: If these kids are little enough to misunderstand how roads work, they won't be allowed to roam free. Anyone else should be held responsible for their own actions without blaming a game! You don't truly believe that everyone is about to die because of an app. It's clear that you are the one trying to cause trouble if you find the time to post this kind of content on the Internet and reply to comments and waste your time in a cycle of petty judgment. Maybe you would have less angst if you got some exercise like the people who play this game do.