Pokémon Go making people 'less socially aware', claims Caithness minister
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Pokémania has hit Caithness as players have been found congregating at well-known landmarks as well as obscure places to catch creatures such as Jigglypuffs, Mewtwos, Pikachus and Snorlaxes.
Pokémon Go has become a global craze as the app has received rave reviews from fans of the game based on the hit TV show from the early 2000s.
But the location-based augmented reality game has also received criticism for placing people in potentially dangerous situations while they try to “catch” the virtual creatures.
The Rev Wendy Knott, of the Scottish Episcopal Church in Wick and Thurso, is one critic of the game who believes it can damage relationships with friends and family.
In her Food for thought column, which appeared in today’s Caithness Courier, she writes: “I wonder whether others are like me in seeing Pokémon Go as a subtly dangerous way of leading its players to live at worst a shadowy half-life?”
Elaborating on her views, she said: “The game encourages people to live in a fantasy world, mixing reality with fantasy.
“I think it is making people less socially aware. I have read about incidents where people have been put in danger in more populated areas where they have walked into the road and cars have crashed into pedestrians before they realise.
“They are becoming so absorbed in the fantasy, they are no longer interested in human relationships which is the main business about being human. Friends and family and interacting with them on a real level is the way to go.”
But fans of the game said it encourages users to meet new people and acts as a form of exercise as it encourages users to walk to places they would not have gone to otherwise.
David Whitelaw, from Wick, believes the game is a sociable experience which is having a positive impact on people’s lives.
“It’s an incredibly social experience and gets people out the house,” he said.
“It’s no more a ‘shadowy half-life’ than people who are addicted to EastEnders.”
Wick war memorial is a PokéStop which players can visit to collect free eggs and Pokéballs to allow them to catch Pokémon.
While accepting there are concerns about the game using sensitive sites, Mr Whitelaw thinks it can encourage people to find out more about monuments.
“The only real issue with PoGo is the likes of war memorials as PokéStops,” he said.
“Is it disrespectful or does it get people to look at these monuments with fresh eyes when they otherwise may have walked by for the 100th time?”
Sarah Hammond, from Freswick, agrees there are advantages to war memorials being used as PokéStops.
“The war memorial in Wick is a PokéStop and while some might feel this is disrespectful it could be argued that it may bring people to the memorial who might not have stopped there before,” she said.
“If this causes them to stop and reflect on the purpose of the memorial it may give them pause for thought.”
Mrs Hammond has discovered PokéGyms at a well in Thurso and two in John O’Groats and revealed she caught five Pokémon in Tesco in Wick.
She’s also spotted a lot of people in obscure locations trying to catch Pokémon.
“I would say it could be quite dangerous if you are not paying attention to your surroundings as it’s quite immersing.
“The other day I saw several grown-ups staring at their phones with a wry smile – I suspect they were playing.
“I’ve seen some cars pulling up in odd places by the side of the road recently looking for Pokémons.
“We’ve had a huge influx of odd people visiting Caithness and clambering over bridges and into fields staring at their phones.
“Seeing Pokémons in the aisles in Tesco is cool.
“Food shopping is definitely not one of my favourite things so adding Pokémons into the mix adds a little amusement to what is a pretty dull task.”
