The Pursuit of Mewtwo
- The timing of the Pokémon Go phenomena is magnificent. -
Times are tough, and when times are tough, escapism is high. The economy is not a well-oiled machine like times in the past, and people are upset. This can be seen with global economic shifts like Brexit and political unrest like we see housed in the working class of Europe and in the USA.
There is a growing vast majority of people that want to start their transformations to get fit again, however they are struggling to find a method they identify with.
This combination of the need for escapism and self-transformation creates the perfect storm for the Pokémon Go extravaganza. Pokémon is a symbol that we all can relate, the barrier to entry is low. I am 27 and I have not played a Pokémon video game in a decade, but you know what, I damn well know each Pokémon I encounter, how the fundamentals of the game work, and game strategy/dynamics just like it was yesteryear. And even though now the game itself is not social, the experience is. Walking through a park with hundreds of people enjoying the same past time as you are, while getting some steps in at the same time is uniquely social. The barrier to interact with a stranger is oddly broken, you bond and communicate with the people around you like you knew them from high school.
The feeling, you know what, we're nerds and it's okay, augmented reality and virtual experiences are the future, and I am all right with that really crosses borders not crossed before. The act of participating in an adventure which blurs digital and reality is refreshing. It’s a new invigorating experience, humans are explorers are heart, we always have been, always will be.
Now I apologize if you came here to gain an edge on your fellow trainers, to find the elusive Mewtwo. The truth is, he has yet to be located anywhere in the world. But taking the above quote from him in Pokémon: The First Movie speaks volumes.
"I see now that the Circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are." -MewtwoBoy was he wise beyond his years, the gift of Pokémon Go creates a social bond, a gregarious bond, a communal bond where we can all come together in a constructive self-transformative way regardless of the circumstance of one's background. And I thought that was fitting for a Steemit Share.