The Pokémon Go craze has been sweeping the nation ever since its release last week. Everyone I know has downloaded it, from people who have been obsessed with Pokémon since the first Red, Blue, and Yellow games, to people who just want to join in on the fun. And that’s exactly what this game is about; good, clean fun.

So that’s why it’s so surprising to see so many people hating on this new app. People all over social media, especially on Facebook, have been bashing Pokémon Go and its players, calling them “childish” and telling them to find better things to do with their lives. Sure, the app does encourage people to spend a bit more time looking down at their phones. Yes, people have gotten injured while playing the game, but that is only because they were careless. But the positive mental and physical effects brought about by this game definitely outweigh the merit of the accusations of too much screen time.

When is the last time you took a two hour walk? For me it was yesterday, but before that, probably years. Yes, the primary purpose was to catch Pokémon and replenish my Poké ball supply, but the fact still remains that I went on a two hour walk. And I’m not the only one, every time I go out to catch Pokémon on campus there are at least fifty other people in little groups everywhere you look searching for the same Pokémon.

That’s the brilliance of this game; it’s really a fitness app in disguise. You can’t catch Pokémon by standing in one spot so the app forces you to walk around and hunt them down. You also get medals and can hatch Pokémon eggs by walking around. With goals of two, five, and ten kilometers, Pokémon Go is designed to make you want to get up off your couch and get moving and lets you have fun while doing it!

Now what’s so bad about that? What is so bad about people going outside and reliving their childhood in the real world? Pokémon Go is bringing people together, allowing them to escape reality, if only for a few moments, to catch a Pikachu, and bringing a bit of brightness and fun into a world that seems exceptionally dark and scary as of late. Don’t shame, condemn or destroy someone’s happiness just because you don’t understand it. Let people have their fun, encourage them to do things that make them happy, and spread love instead of hate. With all of the terrible things going on in the world and in our very own backyards, the last thing people need is to feel insecure about something that makes them feel better, Pokémon Go or otherwise.

If you want to join in on the fun yourself, check out my friends at Youtube.com/OverABeer where they discuss the Pokémon Go craze thus far as well as why Pokémon Go is so amazing, important and loved in today’s society. Soon enough you’ll want to catch them all too.