Plan B Forum

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I have always thought that it should say something to the rest of the world, that two countries can live side by side, sharing such a long undefended border when the worst they have to worry about is a couple of teenagers crossing it unwittingly while playing Pokemon.

What are a couple of extra Canadians between friends? They're so gosh darn pleasant and respectful of others. Other than starting a chain of Montessori schools what could go wrong here?


Anyway, this seems like as good a place as any to start a thread about Pokemon Go; menace or threat?

First of all anything involving smart phones and game 'apps' is suspect from the get-go but this is a singularity* of nastiness, a tidal wave of disruption of the social order unlike anything seen before**. Other than a few fatalities, people falling into open sewers chasing pikachus and shit like that, there have not been , on the whole, greater numbers of deaths than those predicted by the stochastic shuffle of simple events*** so while the identities of the deceased might have been rearranged by Pokemon Go, the net number is not likely changed.

But it occurs to me that control of Pokemon Go could give one the type of power craved by the EVIL VILLAIN in superhero movies. Want an old minefield cleared? Plant a bunch of pokis all over it! People will obligingly 'discover and deactivate' (by setting off) all the mines! (raising the average IQ at the same time) Want an extra 1,000 people at your protest? Have high-value pokis appear and disappear in waves leading from all directions up to your protest site.

Want to expose someone who is having an affair? Have a poki-site at their front door, volunteers will help with surveillance, 24/7, day and night. And they'll be holding up their phones like they're taking pictures, sure to inspire a little paranoia in someone with a guilty conscience to start with.

Want to shut down a crack house, house of prostitution, &c? ditto.

This hokey-poki thing is bizarrely powerful. It is truly a brave new world. And Poki-followers are a variety of volunteer virtual zombe, humanoids no longer following their independent wills but will chase, not for any tangible reward like money, stuff or sex, not for a reward which is fungible and thus able to improve their actual quality of life, just little images on a screen. Cost to you, evil genius zombi-leader, zero. Cost to them, autonomy and dignity as human beings.

Too fun. Too scary!

yrs,
rubato

* I'm boycotting the "U"-word since it is so horribly misused and modified.

** Yep, still boycotting it.

*** Has nothing to do with the U-word

The hospital says it was "unconcerned" as long as people played the game where it was safe.

Like in a padded cell.

I admit I just don't see the appeal of the game - but I largely missed the boat on video games in general. I do play words with friends and trivia crack on my iPhone.

As I understand it (I admit that I haven't particularly cared to learn much) it is pretty much just an electronic variation on an old fashioned scavenger hunt, and I did find those fun in my time.

I think that it will eventually be possible to buy or rent a PocketMonster to "live" at a place of business so that Pokemon Go players will have to enter and possibly buy something. That's how they will make money at it.

MGMcAnick wrote:I think that it will eventually be possible to buy or rent a PocketMonster to "live" at a place of business so that Pokemon Go players will have to enter and possibly buy something. That's how they will make money at it.

My understanding is that there are "lures" that can be placed to attract nearby Pokémon in much the same way as a salt lick or bait pile will attract game when hunting.  This at least brings the players to your area.  It has already been reported, though, that some players have also been "lured" to out-of-the-way places where they are then becoming victims of assault, robbery, or worse.

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