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A New Mania has gripped today's children. It's called Pokémon, as fellow
collector's ( and some of you fellow parents ) know. I'm sure you have seen these
little fellas and have heard the stories about it being treated as gambling
in schools. Well, all I have to say about that is, "What a pile of crap!".
Basically, this is a collecting card role playing game. Think of it as a
MAGIC: THE GATHERING for kids. But at the base, it's trading cards. Remember
being a kid and collecting Baseball, Hockey, Garbage Pail Kids or Wacky
Packages? Remember the thrill of being VERY close to finishing the
"collection"? of course you do... So why is it gambling for kids to go out
and buy tons of packages in the attempt to get the good cards?! We did the
same... Maybe it's a little more fanatical than when we were kids, but the
idea is the same.
Then there are these people, so far I've seen movie reviewers and a
couple of VJ's saying how "stupid" and "dumb" the movie is... umm.... Am I
the only who has noticed that it's a kid's movie? That it's not aimed at
grown men and women? I mean give me a break! You don't go into a movie like
that and expect to see freaking Lawrence of Arabia!! Of course it's simple
minded! Of course there's not a whole lot of character development, little
kids don't give a rat's ass about any of that! They just want to see the
characters they've become familiar with on trading cards animated on the
screen... that's it! I mean, it's not like there's a whole lot of storyline
to the whole Pokémon phenomenon to begin with... two kids:one good, one bad,
capture and train these little critters to duke it out ... a little
barbaric, but what the hell! It certainly isn't bloody gladiator fights!
Have you seen this show? It's cute cuddly little critters, and there's not
one drop of blood ( maybe the occasional "anime" sweat drop ... but that's
all really! ).
And to top it off, they have news reports now with these reporters
interviewing children about the game. Having the kids explain what the cards
mean and what the game is all about. Are parents really so lame nowadays
that they can't sit down for a minute with their kids and see what it is
that they're doing? I mean the Pokémon rule book is hardly a freaking novel!
Just sit down with your child, read the booklet and you'll at least know
what the hell they're talking about. This reporter was asking the kid stupid
questions like "What does 'resistance' mean in the game?" ... duh! it means
RESISTANCE! you know! As in resistance to something! Sheesh!
Now they're talking about Pokémon being violent for children and they
don't know what the effects are on them. But these are the same people who
don't have a clue about what the game is all about! Don't parents CARE
anymore? Are we the only ones who take ANY interest in what our kids are
into? Surely not, but those who don't have really got to get their heads out
of their asses, stop watching a TV REPORT about what Pokémon is all about
and ask their CHILD what Pokémon is all about.
Here's a piece of advice, you want to avoid your child developing
his/her own language based on Pokémon, further distancing him/her from you?
Why don't you try playing the game with the child? Maybe just at least once,
watch the show... sure it's not a great show, but the kid likes it and at
least you'll know what it's about! Then maybe you'll get a better clue of
what the hell they're talking about, hell you might even enjoy playing with
your shild for once ...
Besides, put it this way ... it's "this year's" obsession ...
A bit miffed by idiot TV reporters,
Stephane Morrell
(xipetotec)
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