Pokemon Go! A generation lost in 1 day....

x57z12 wrote: Sooo I have been addicted to video games for a long time. Then I went into stationary therapy and discovered I was in fact not addicted to video games – I could scratch that itch by reading books too, and quite as well at that. And if I did not read I just might listen to music and sing in my head until there was only music left in there.

The ‘grand theme’ of it is, that life seems to have the tendency not to live up to our expectations. Drowning that out through any kind of media is a quite easy way out. Also most of these games are designed to be rewarding, to trigger the parts of our brain that go ‘Yay, progress! I am doing things!’. Progress in the ‘real world’ is a tedious and time consuming thing. Reaching for the easy reward comes naturally too.

Games are good at drowning out our dull and underperforming, possibly unsatisfactory lives.
After a long time with this addiction (and I do believe it to be a real addiction as I suffered a quite unpleasant withdrawal/cold turkey when I stopped) I do understand the price of this and I think it is underestimated. However, most people won’t know as were are led to believe that addictions are either substances or risk behavior (for example gambling). Thus gaming seems to be a harmless way to feel better.

I wish to emphasize it is NOT.

I just want to say on the one hand, I completely agree with you. On all levels. Because once I get my hands on VR, I'm 100% sure the fight is going to be real to keep my job, bills, and life somewhat together. I want to go into a world where I can actually be something...anything...that's better than what I am so badly you don't even know.
But on the other hand, I have used gaming as a sort of meditative way to let my overthinking mind focused on something else and stfu for long enough to let some light shine in. This past month has been a load of shit for me, and the usual other things didn't work: drawing, reading, exercising, none of it worked. You know what did? A 6 hour session of Skyrim. I realize my case may be special, but sometimes gaming helps.

Also Pokemon Go helped me to get an extra 15 minutes of walking on today. If it wasn't so blazing hot outside (and I just got my hair done) I'd be out right now, catching the Pichu that I know is here somewhere...

Avalonslight wrote: But like others have pointed out, this is meant to force people outside. You have to go around from location to location to progress.

Yup. Mine shows three leafy targets in my area....but If I want them...Im going to have to put some shoes on and walk up a block and a half to get two and a block the other direction to get the third. Since I am currently busy giving kids a bath....I cant do it, so i am not playing the game. Sort of pointless looking at a grid screen with your avatar just standing their projecting aura rings at nothing

A generation isn't "lost", they got a new toy. Did you never get a new toy when you were a kid that you just couldn't put down because it was the coolest thing ever? Pokemon GO is that for a lot of people. Hell, I walked 5km just to hatch a goddamn virtual egg and put up a few Pokemon in unclaimed gyms and that was after a restless night of my sleep disorder having its revenge.

In some ways this is the pot calling the kettle black, but try not to let momentary change devolve into hyperbolic sentiments. Once the newness of the game wears off, people will realize and remember they have responsibilities to attend to and the game will play a less distracting role in their lives. Nostalgia and novelty are a powerful combination.

Personally, I love this game but I think they will have to step it up to make it have that staying power (they need to do some major bug fixes too).

"Idiots Cause Two Major Accidents"

accidents

Another Idiot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li4tU3wkVmk

Some more idiots
accidents



Please be carefull out there , dont hurt anyone or yourself because of a game please , thank you , on behalf of the people who live and play in the real world , please ?

There is a simple key to all of this: Moderation.

Yes, using Pokemon Go as an incentive to get walking is a good idea and probably as healthy as fun (Not dying from looking on your phone is not a new issue, german ‘youth word of the year’ 2015 actually is ‘Smombie’ – a person staring at their phone while running around looking like a zombie)

No, playing it at work probably is a ‘not-so-good’ idea as most employers don’t like that.



Isisinabi wrote:

But on the other hand, I have used gaming as a sort of meditative way to let my overthinking mind focused on something else and stfu for long enough to let some light shine in. This past month has been a load of shit for me, and the usual other things didn't work: drawing, reading, exercising, none of it worked. You know what did? A 6 hour session of Skyrim. I realize my case may be special, but sometimes gaming helps.

That’s how I used it too. This state of being to me is very, very different from meditation. Where meditation of any kind promotes awareness of oneself (be it breathing, energie within, motion, sensations (optical/haptic)) gaming just drowns everything out. I forget time, food, posture, everything. Yes, a few hours of non-existence won’t hurt you, they even can be beneficial (as a breather). But that’s how these things go, the first dose not harm but gets you hooked on it. I’m not saying you will get addicted, I will however say you are exposed to that risk. Be mindful of that and you will most likely be fine.

Why can't we just smile, giggle about chasing Pikachu and get on with the day. Why does everything have to be such a huge deal. Enjoy what is is, if you don't like it, go find something else.

Its like Game of Thrones, you either like or you don't. No biggie.

I will say that it is bringing people together in new and interesting ways. Last night my fiance and I were walking by the part near our apartment looking for Pokemon and a guy pulled into the parking lot, rolled down his windows and said "What are the chances that ya'll are playing Pokemon Go?" :laugh:

There was a Pokestop that someone had put a lure on and he had never seen that before so he asked what he was seeing on the map then we all went over to it and got some items together.

That is but one story I've heard of new people meeting and bonding over this outdoor, social game and it's only been out for two days. (three in the eastern hemisphere)

Pokemon, bringing people together since 1996.

Thank you for the story Goken! I've heard several of these lately. I know a friend of mine ran into a kid playing and taught him about it (since my friend was in the Beta) I think that's so cool!

I saw a guy trekking across open grassland looking at his phone today while I was driving to work and I had to grin. I hope he caught something because I haven't seen one since I left home today

I even went out yesterday and hobbled around because I found a Rapidash pop up. I've been a couch potato for the last few months since my hip was hurting so much. It was fun to go out and it was a really nice break since my daughter was throwing tantrums most of the evening and it gave me a breather I probably wouldn't have otherwise taken.

Today my daughter and I went to breakfast at a restaurant we haven't been to in a year and found a few, then outside my workplace we found a Slowpoke, which is my first water type. We've met and had 3 conversations with new people because of this, and my boss finally met my kid xD

I gotta say, it's fun to be out exploring and getting along with my teenager for a change

MartaLina wrote: Please be carefull out there , dont hurt anyone or yourself because of a game please , thank you , on behalf of the people who live and play in the real world , please ?

Not to say people shouldn't be careful, but you do realize that two of the three links you provided were satire, right? The video you showed was actually a dude being semi-responsible having his friend drive while he caught pokemon.