Such a Studious Lot

It is 7.30pm Sunday.  While walking then with Om through Bangkok's Lumpini Park for some exercise, we came across all these people sitting and acting intently as if they were studying for an exam.  Then Om tells me to his amazement and joy that they all, like him, are playing Pokemon.

Pokemon has stormed this country. Before mass on Sunday, all the servers - adult and child - are in the sacristy playing Pokemon. I jokingly made an announcement as mass started that no one was to play during mass.

What I gather is that this is a social game as it is more fun when you connect with others along the way also playing so that you can destroy their monsters.  Interesting! It may be more social but I see this whole new craze adding to the contemporary phenomenon of the smartphone where people are just nearly entranced by what they are holding in their hands, losing all contact with the social world around them.  In the very age when social communication should be enhanced by all the technology at our fingertips, what I am seeing is growing social isolation.

People go to the park with friends but they don't talk while walking but overcome by silence while playing games.  People go out to dinner for a social experience but they are busy taking photos and using Facebook to tell the world about their dinner while avoiding talking with those at table with them.  This is part of our times.

We have such great opportunities available to us for learning and communicating but seemingly we are becoming addicted to what could be our greatest tool for public advancement for any reason but quenching our thirst for knowledge.  What I am seeing is a social phenomenon of great import.  It is amazing to see the immediate impact but who knows what the ultimate result will be.