I got out of work around 11 pm with a text from my friend saying, "Let’s walk down to the waterfront or something, it's so nice out!" This was the first of many lures I would soon encounter that night.
It turns out he was on the hunt for Pokémon. I heard about the game when it came out and I knew that it worked through GPS tracking, but I didn’t know how much it would change human interactions.
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Our walk down to the waterfront took at least 30 minutes longer than expected, as we had to stop what felt like every 10 feet. As we walked along Church Street it seemed as if there was always another Pokémon to catch or a Pokéstop to grab more Pokéballs at. At that point it was past midnight so I assumed we would stop playing soon, but I was wrong. We weren’t the only ones playing this game late into the night. It seemed that everyone we passed was playing it. Watching others interact in this augmented reality made me like I was in a parallel universe.
We finally got down to the waterfront and what do you know, there was a lure module. For those of you who have not played, a lure module is just what it sounds like. It lures more Pokémon to that area. If there's a lure module around you can sure bet there's a ton of people on their phones just hanging around.
The thing about Pokémon Go is that there are always more Pokémon to be caught and there's always a Gym or Pokéstop somewhere nearby. This is causing people to get more attached to their phones than they already are. In addition, many people are losing sight of reality and getting themselves into serious accidents. I acknowledge that it is not the game’s fault, as they do have warning labels that pop up every time the app is open. What worries me is that people are letting their stupidity get the best of them. Pay attention to the real world people!
Regardless of how uncomfortable I felt during my first encounter with Pokémon Go I downloaded the app. I am not the type of person to enjoy playing games on my phone, but for some reason (I’m blaming the reminiscence of my childhood) I took interest in this game. It became a competition for me as I tried to get to a higher level than my friends even though we're all on the same team.
I could ramble on about the horrible stories that have ensued since the game’s release, but that would be unfair. The game is not to blame for the accidents or people’s lack of attention. The game was invented for enjoyment purposes. People need to learn to take responsibility for their own mistakes instead of blaming technology. While the game may have put you at risk, it does give you warnings. It is not the games fault if you become addicted, distracted, or violent. Everyone is ultimately in control of their own actions, not a game on their phones.
