Here in 2016, Pokémon Go appears to be bringing people together, too. It doesn't interest me (I've never followed the franchise). However, a friend of mine, who works in a bookshop, said complete strangers are now talking to each other about Pokémon Go. She said that because people tend to notice others playing the game - I guess something gives them away - and it gets many conversations going.

Isn't that a good thing?

However, my social media feed, and various comments at work, seem to be dismissive. I've seen people described as losers, etc.

My god, something - and does it really matter what? - brings people together, gets strangers talking and that's considered a bad thing? Really.

Then there's the fitness angle. Personally, if I'm outdoors or hiking, I want to see the surroundings, not a mobile phone screen. However, whilst it may not do people's eyes or neck much good in the long run, at least people are outdoors. I was pleased to see this tweet yesterday:

Nice. Sure, again, I wish they were outdoors looking at their surroundings and appreciating nature, but each to their own. At least they are outdoors. The media and various social media folk complain constantly about obesity and people never venturing outdoors. And now we have people doing just that. So what do those people do? Complain, anyway.

It is sad that it's taken Pokémon Go to unite people. It's even sadder that after the hype has passed, strangers will go back to being strangers and not attempting to communicate. And it's also sad that after the fad has passed, young folk may once again retreat into their bedrooms. 

For now, though, and this is just my view, I'm going to enjoy the fact that in an increasingly hostile/uncertain world, strangers are choosing to talk to each other. I don't care what united them, whether it's this, the Olympics or the price of beer. What matters for me is that people are talking and coming together. Maybe some of those strangers who began chatting about Pokémon Go will go on to become friends and talk about other things. Doesn't that deserve some goodwill?

They morning after I returned from Singapore, we were going to brunch and walking through a sculpture park to get there.  Its a beautiful park, but for the first time, it was crowded. Everyone was on their phone, face down, catching Pokemon.  I started outwardly mocking what they were doing. I wasn't being discreet. Yet not a single person in my vicinity looked up at me. Finally my wife said, "fine, you're right. But how many of these people would be out here on such a beautiful morning if not for Pokemon Go?"  At that point she had me, I conceded to her point, and stopped mocking entirely. 

My wife plays, I don't.  But in the two weeks since she started, we have been on more walks together talking and enjoying each others company than we had been on in the last two years, probably. 

Its a social media game that physically brings people together in interesting places in a noncompetitive way. I support the game.

But there have been events, games, occurrences, etc. that have caused this previously, and if it fosters positive interaction and a little physical activity - maybe it's not such a bad thing after all.

If I think about it, I'm minded to remember a lot of people who used to read newspapers* that just sat and read, rather than watched their phones. It's probably easily comparable...

*These used to be collected sheets of paper with ink on them, with factual information about news, current events, sports, entertainment, local news, and advertisements. They were kind of nifty in their way. Also most useful for wrapping fried fish and french fries in some locales.

Yes, been so much death and destruction recently, not only in the places you'd expect it (i.e. Middle East), but in France, Germany, etc.

Pokémon Go won't solve the worlds problems, nor is there any guarantee people will continue chatting after the fad has passed. The chatty and affable people discussing Pokémon Go on the train may well just be silent after the fad has passed, but for now I'm enjoying the unity.

The app clearly says be alert and pay attention to your surroundings. There's a news story on Facebook about a 15 year old girl who was hit by a car.....because she walked out onto a busy highway chasing Pokemon.

Fortunately, the girl wasn't killed or horribly maimed. But the girl and her mom are blaming the app. Not the girl for doing something stupid.

Sadly, you will get people (not just with this app) doing stupid things. A bus driver was fired in my city a few years ago for reading a novel at the wheel. Stupidity exists everywhere.

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Seems to be that way, yes.

With anything, whether it's Pokémon Go or strip poker, I think if it's what people want to do, and no harm is involved, then why complain?

I'd rather people were doing something like that than committing the horrible acts we've seen in the news recently.