Comments

1
Take away the Pokemon binky though and where are they? It might be somewhat therapeutic, at least in the minds of these people, but as someone who binges on video games I don't see how this is real progress towards conquering underlying social anxiety issues, rather it's like how a Singapore Sling and a cigarette makes me way more sociable than I normally would be - but I need a specific stimulus to open up and am hobbled by it without.
2
As recently as yesterday I wondered why an adult would chase imaginary monsters in public but I was very wrong. Given our massive pandemic of loneliness, alienation, and straight up untreated mental illness this sounds like a godsend for many. If it also keeps just one person at the end of their rope from touching a gun it's worth it. Whatever works in 2016 to connect people to others in a positive way and get them out of their house.
3
BTW I'm not saying this is a substitute for appropriate medical care but for those who don't need something that serious and can't afford $250/HR for s therapist this is great thing.
4
Seems pretty healthy for people into those things. Certainly a giant improvement over sitting in a chair alone. As for being robbed — first, getting your phone out on the street is often a risky move in general, but PoGo players at least seem more aware of their surroundings than the average text message composer.
5
Yes, a form of therapy that will last for exactly the duration of a fad.
6
I mean, it's not exactly bleeding-edge neuroscience. When everything feels awful and you've lost hope and an overactive brain is paralyzing every effort you make to fix things, a simple, goal-oriented activity that gets you outside and active and interacting with others can genuinely save your life.

It's not a distraction or a fad if it encourages behaviors that are actually therapeutic by any standard of care.

And honestly, all the complaints people are making about being distracted in public on phones are hardly new. There are just a whole lot of people out doing them right now. This is a totally new thing and people will get better at it with a little time and practice, just like literally every new thing that people ever do.
7
When they find out that they have nothing in common but the game it's gonna suck.
8
@7

That's assuming they have nothing in common but the game. Which may be valid sometimes but not always.
9
Well put, 6.

Please wait...

Comments are closed.

Commenting on this item is available only to members of the site. You can sign in here or create an account here.


Add a comment
Preview

By posting this comment, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use.