- 18
- Posts
- 10
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- Chicago, IL
- Seen Mar 17, 2014
Hi everyone! I'm new to the Pokécommunity! Thanks for inviting me in – I love the series and think I have a lot to offer.
I know this is a long read, but I thought I would take a look into similarities between Pokémon and the real world and what that means for how we engage with the game. I would appreciate feedback or discussion if you guys have the time!
------
Over the course of the video game's eighteen-year history, Pokémon has spurred thought over how closely related to real life the fictional worlds of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos. Whether its the much-researched topographical and geographical similarities of the regions to real-life places (which has been acknowledged by the creators of the game as correct) or the insertion of little easter eggs like Wii devices in the main character's bedroom, many Pokémon fans have done their best to relate the game to their own lives. However, in my research into Pokémon meta, I noticed that not much attention has been paid to the in-game social issues that have parallels to current-day issues. Issues like single parenthood, genetic mutation, diversity (or a lack thereof), and even animal rights have manifested themselves throughout all of the video games, and subsequently the television show, but this meta will primarily focus on the games). All of these are very real controversies or parts of people's lives outside of the realm of video games. Looking into these parallels would also have important implications for users of Pokémon. It would provide more of a reasoning that a world of Pokémon could possibly exist on Earth. Including the geographical similarities, little details that reflect real-world processes show that a world of Pokémon may not be too "Farfetch'd." The games have stereotypically been labeled as "children's games," but one could argue that the serious social issues in the games as well as things like self-realization and strategic fighting both help users relate to the games and distinguish it from our everyday lives.
Every single game in the series begins with your character waking up in his (or as an option in the later games, her) bedroom, walking down the stairs to be greeted by his (or her) mom, without a mention of a father. (This does not apply to the Generation III character, who has a gym leader as a father.) According to a 2010 New York Times article, "Across the industrialized world, about 15.9 percent of children live in single-parent households."1 x Most of these single-parent households are actually single-mother households as well. The only mention of Ash's father is that he potentially is a Pokémon trainer as well who never returned from his adventure. (2) x This is one of the most interesting parallels in the game, because of its stark similiarities to a real life construct. Ideally, taking the role of this character who only ever had a mother creates an empowering message for children in similar circumstances who may also be playing the game – you can still be successful and go on a journey in life without one or both parents. The game can serve as an subtle emotional tool for kids who are struggling with the loss of a parent. Even though the mother should probably be reprimanded for letting her young son travel a world of unknown creatures by himself, battling with Pokémon can serve as a way for players to build their self-esteem.
Another connection is the importance of natural elements that help to define the strategy of the game. Pokémon are altered versions of real things – salamanders, turtles, plants, mice, to name a few only from the first generation of games – that provide a common base of knowledge and a fairly low intellectual barrier of entry for players in the game. Occasionally, Pokédex entries even compare Pokémon with real-life animals. For example, This is the argument most people like to make to connect the video game world to our real world – perhaps these Pokémon are just animals that we see everyday, altered by some genetic experiment and then captured by technology in a strange sadistic twist. Further, Pokémon types and their strengths/weaknesses accurately reflect our natural elements: electric Pokémon are weak to water Pokémon, etc. And although this reflects real life elemental interactions, there are types that distinguish the game from our world, like Fairy or Normal. This helps to make the game make sense to an everyday citizen of Planet Earth while accenting the fictionalization of these creatures by having largely unbelievable types (if you weren't already convinced that an electric mouse could exist in the wild). This concept then leads into evolution, which is a central idea to the game. Each Pokémon evolves once it reaches a certain stage in its life (level), which is very similar to life-forms on Earth having developed physically and mentally over the last millions of years. Of course, the debate over evolution is prominent in our present-day education systems, but the world of Pokémon seems to acknowledge the phenomenon as a natural way of life. (If you are so inclined to believe in creationism, Pokémon also has a solution for you: the creature Mew, from which all other creatures are supposed to have come, was created by a divine entity or a strange energy.) (3) [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGvvulC1EDk&feature=youtu.be"]x[/ame] Again, all of these concepts are parts of our everyday lives that we take for granted, but use to become familiar with the game of Pokémon, further blurring the line between what we see as real and fictional.
Animal rights then take the forefront of comparisons between the real world and the Pokémon world. The most uncontroversial part of the game with relation to animal rights is the selective breeding that you can (and are encouraged) to do in the game. In our world, dogs and other domestic animals are selectively bred, perhaps similarly to the way a trainer could breed two Pokémon to create an egg (which can be done at the daycare center in most of the generations. The correlation between Pokémon battles and real-life animal abuse has been consistently presented by organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). (4) x According to the Humane Society, "nearly 1 million animals a year are abused or killed in connection with domestic violence." Thus initiates the conversation of whether the in-game issue is considered a real-life concern or just a fictionalization. The game itself addresses these issue with some of the storylines in the series. The character 'N' in Pokemon Black and White devotes his time to free Pokémon from their owners and release them from captivity:
"My vision is to change the world without using force. Trying to change the world by force will just make others resist. If people resist, the ones that will be hurt are the innocent Pokémon used by foolish Trainers. You understand. Pokémon are not just tools for people to use!"
But once N learns his lesson and better understands the psyches of the creatures, he updates his viewpoint in Black and White 2:
"Pokémon battles do nothing more than hurt Pokémon... That's how I understood it, and that's why I hated battles. But it's not that simple… Pokémon battles decide winners and losers, it's true. Yet they do so much more. Your Pokémon! You! Your opponents! And their Pokémon! Everyone can see what wonderful things the others have to contribute! That's right! Accepting different ideas--different beings--changes the world like a chemical reaction! Pokémon battles are like a catalyst: a small component that leads to big changes!"
With characters like N, the game attempts to separate itself from real life by providing a moral basis for Pokémon battles. N argues that Pokémon battles are an inherent part of their society, something that includes both the strategy of the trainer and the willpower (and consent/friendship) of the creature. The main difference is the fact that people don't roam the Earth with these animals in technologically-advanced capsules looking to battle other trainers. Regardless, the attention that the game has brought to the issue does unintentionally provide a good way for children to understand animal abuse through a safe, video game lens. N provides a legitimate basis to be concerned about the way trainers treat their Pokémon, but over the course of the adventure, he begins to reveal this moral, equally-consenting nature of battles that also helps separate fiction from real-life.
Now, what is the implication of all of these social connections between fact and Pokémon fiction? The world of Pokémon faces the same social issues that we do on Earth. This makes our societies and our attitudes towards these concepts eerily similar, making the only distinction between Pokémon and Earth the noted fictionalization and over-the-top characters and adventures in the game. Take for example the reliance on technology in the game – the Pokédex is your main tool in your quest to catch Pokémon, while other devices like the Friend Finder, computer networks, and even cell phones are all prominently featured as a necessity for the main character. And over the course of the game generations, newer and more advanced technology has been introduced in-game that more or less reflects the technological advancements we've seen on Earth. It helps the player feel more connected to the processes in the game and have a personal investment in their trainer's success, whether because they know their views of society are embedded in their character or in the solace provided them by the reassuring of their right to play the game as a child or adult. (5) x Kids can learn from the game while adults can relate. It's a world that you better understand as you yourself grow older and learn more about the society in which you live. It just happens to carry a social stigma with it that it's a children's game. Plus, the game is fictionalized enough that not everything is the same between the two worlds, including physics, social structures, and even just the idea of a child going on an adventure alone in an uncertain world. Even though simliarities exist superficially, the characters in the game have different views on the social issues I've presented. The world of Pokémon presents a utopia with values of teamwork and courage that real-world society seems to unfortunately neglect.
Perhaps the creator of the video game summarizes my meta nicely with his comment on fans trying to connect Earth and the various Pokémon regions:
"We actually don't think of the world of Pokémon as Earth. If we were to do that, we would kind of be limited by what we could do. By thinking about how physical objects work on Earth and how various elements work on Earth, we would kind of be limited to that if we thought of it as Earth. We think of it as a place that is really similar to Earth, but is a different planet of its own with people in it who may be similar to people on Earth, but they have different values so they care about different things. It's the type of place, the Pokémon world, where problems we face on Earth just wouldn't happen." (6) x
Sources
1 https://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/...-around-the-world/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
2 https://kotaku.com/5942163/the-greatest-pokmon-mystery-where-is-ashs-father
3 [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGvvulC1EDk&feature=youtu.be"]YouTube Pokemon Science[/ame]
4 https://kotaku.com/im-not-sure-but-i-think-peta-is-upset-with-pokemon-1443910146
5 https://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=307980
6 https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pokémon_world#Trivia
I know this is a long read, but I thought I would take a look into similarities between Pokémon and the real world and what that means for how we engage with the game. I would appreciate feedback or discussion if you guys have the time!
------
Over the course of the video game's eighteen-year history, Pokémon has spurred thought over how closely related to real life the fictional worlds of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos. Whether its the much-researched topographical and geographical similarities of the regions to real-life places (which has been acknowledged by the creators of the game as correct) or the insertion of little easter eggs like Wii devices in the main character's bedroom, many Pokémon fans have done their best to relate the game to their own lives. However, in my research into Pokémon meta, I noticed that not much attention has been paid to the in-game social issues that have parallels to current-day issues. Issues like single parenthood, genetic mutation, diversity (or a lack thereof), and even animal rights have manifested themselves throughout all of the video games, and subsequently the television show, but this meta will primarily focus on the games). All of these are very real controversies or parts of people's lives outside of the realm of video games. Looking into these parallels would also have important implications for users of Pokémon. It would provide more of a reasoning that a world of Pokémon could possibly exist on Earth. Including the geographical similarities, little details that reflect real-world processes show that a world of Pokémon may not be too "Farfetch'd." The games have stereotypically been labeled as "children's games," but one could argue that the serious social issues in the games as well as things like self-realization and strategic fighting both help users relate to the games and distinguish it from our everyday lives.
Every single game in the series begins with your character waking up in his (or as an option in the later games, her) bedroom, walking down the stairs to be greeted by his (or her) mom, without a mention of a father. (This does not apply to the Generation III character, who has a gym leader as a father.) According to a 2010 New York Times article, "Across the industrialized world, about 15.9 percent of children live in single-parent households."1 x Most of these single-parent households are actually single-mother households as well. The only mention of Ash's father is that he potentially is a Pokémon trainer as well who never returned from his adventure. (2) x This is one of the most interesting parallels in the game, because of its stark similiarities to a real life construct. Ideally, taking the role of this character who only ever had a mother creates an empowering message for children in similar circumstances who may also be playing the game – you can still be successful and go on a journey in life without one or both parents. The game can serve as an subtle emotional tool for kids who are struggling with the loss of a parent. Even though the mother should probably be reprimanded for letting her young son travel a world of unknown creatures by himself, battling with Pokémon can serve as a way for players to build their self-esteem.
Another connection is the importance of natural elements that help to define the strategy of the game. Pokémon are altered versions of real things – salamanders, turtles, plants, mice, to name a few only from the first generation of games – that provide a common base of knowledge and a fairly low intellectual barrier of entry for players in the game. Occasionally, Pokédex entries even compare Pokémon with real-life animals. For example, This is the argument most people like to make to connect the video game world to our real world – perhaps these Pokémon are just animals that we see everyday, altered by some genetic experiment and then captured by technology in a strange sadistic twist. Further, Pokémon types and their strengths/weaknesses accurately reflect our natural elements: electric Pokémon are weak to water Pokémon, etc. And although this reflects real life elemental interactions, there are types that distinguish the game from our world, like Fairy or Normal. This helps to make the game make sense to an everyday citizen of Planet Earth while accenting the fictionalization of these creatures by having largely unbelievable types (if you weren't already convinced that an electric mouse could exist in the wild). This concept then leads into evolution, which is a central idea to the game. Each Pokémon evolves once it reaches a certain stage in its life (level), which is very similar to life-forms on Earth having developed physically and mentally over the last millions of years. Of course, the debate over evolution is prominent in our present-day education systems, but the world of Pokémon seems to acknowledge the phenomenon as a natural way of life. (If you are so inclined to believe in creationism, Pokémon also has a solution for you: the creature Mew, from which all other creatures are supposed to have come, was created by a divine entity or a strange energy.) (3) [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGvvulC1EDk&feature=youtu.be"]x[/ame] Again, all of these concepts are parts of our everyday lives that we take for granted, but use to become familiar with the game of Pokémon, further blurring the line between what we see as real and fictional.
Animal rights then take the forefront of comparisons between the real world and the Pokémon world. The most uncontroversial part of the game with relation to animal rights is the selective breeding that you can (and are encouraged) to do in the game. In our world, dogs and other domestic animals are selectively bred, perhaps similarly to the way a trainer could breed two Pokémon to create an egg (which can be done at the daycare center in most of the generations. The correlation between Pokémon battles and real-life animal abuse has been consistently presented by organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). (4) x According to the Humane Society, "nearly 1 million animals a year are abused or killed in connection with domestic violence." Thus initiates the conversation of whether the in-game issue is considered a real-life concern or just a fictionalization. The game itself addresses these issue with some of the storylines in the series. The character 'N' in Pokemon Black and White devotes his time to free Pokémon from their owners and release them from captivity:
"My vision is to change the world without using force. Trying to change the world by force will just make others resist. If people resist, the ones that will be hurt are the innocent Pokémon used by foolish Trainers. You understand. Pokémon are not just tools for people to use!"
But once N learns his lesson and better understands the psyches of the creatures, he updates his viewpoint in Black and White 2:
"Pokémon battles do nothing more than hurt Pokémon... That's how I understood it, and that's why I hated battles. But it's not that simple… Pokémon battles decide winners and losers, it's true. Yet they do so much more. Your Pokémon! You! Your opponents! And their Pokémon! Everyone can see what wonderful things the others have to contribute! That's right! Accepting different ideas--different beings--changes the world like a chemical reaction! Pokémon battles are like a catalyst: a small component that leads to big changes!"
With characters like N, the game attempts to separate itself from real life by providing a moral basis for Pokémon battles. N argues that Pokémon battles are an inherent part of their society, something that includes both the strategy of the trainer and the willpower (and consent/friendship) of the creature. The main difference is the fact that people don't roam the Earth with these animals in technologically-advanced capsules looking to battle other trainers. Regardless, the attention that the game has brought to the issue does unintentionally provide a good way for children to understand animal abuse through a safe, video game lens. N provides a legitimate basis to be concerned about the way trainers treat their Pokémon, but over the course of the adventure, he begins to reveal this moral, equally-consenting nature of battles that also helps separate fiction from real-life.
Now, what is the implication of all of these social connections between fact and Pokémon fiction? The world of Pokémon faces the same social issues that we do on Earth. This makes our societies and our attitudes towards these concepts eerily similar, making the only distinction between Pokémon and Earth the noted fictionalization and over-the-top characters and adventures in the game. Take for example the reliance on technology in the game – the Pokédex is your main tool in your quest to catch Pokémon, while other devices like the Friend Finder, computer networks, and even cell phones are all prominently featured as a necessity for the main character. And over the course of the game generations, newer and more advanced technology has been introduced in-game that more or less reflects the technological advancements we've seen on Earth. It helps the player feel more connected to the processes in the game and have a personal investment in their trainer's success, whether because they know their views of society are embedded in their character or in the solace provided them by the reassuring of their right to play the game as a child or adult. (5) x Kids can learn from the game while adults can relate. It's a world that you better understand as you yourself grow older and learn more about the society in which you live. It just happens to carry a social stigma with it that it's a children's game. Plus, the game is fictionalized enough that not everything is the same between the two worlds, including physics, social structures, and even just the idea of a child going on an adventure alone in an uncertain world. Even though simliarities exist superficially, the characters in the game have different views on the social issues I've presented. The world of Pokémon presents a utopia with values of teamwork and courage that real-world society seems to unfortunately neglect.
Perhaps the creator of the video game summarizes my meta nicely with his comment on fans trying to connect Earth and the various Pokémon regions:
"We actually don't think of the world of Pokémon as Earth. If we were to do that, we would kind of be limited by what we could do. By thinking about how physical objects work on Earth and how various elements work on Earth, we would kind of be limited to that if we thought of it as Earth. We think of it as a place that is really similar to Earth, but is a different planet of its own with people in it who may be similar to people on Earth, but they have different values so they care about different things. It's the type of place, the Pokémon world, where problems we face on Earth just wouldn't happen." (6) x
Sources
1 https://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/...-around-the-world/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
2 https://kotaku.com/5942163/the-greatest-pokmon-mystery-where-is-ashs-father
3 [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGvvulC1EDk&feature=youtu.be"]YouTube Pokemon Science[/ame]
4 https://kotaku.com/im-not-sure-but-i-think-peta-is-upset-with-pokemon-1443910146
5 https://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=307980
6 https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pokémon_world#Trivia
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