Section 2

Section 2 : The Social Aspect

The Media Conflict of Pokemon.

http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reports/article/102402/Lessons-for-the-Future-From-the-First-Post-Pokmon-Generation.aspx

The majority of people seem to view technology and the media as a negative outlet for young pre-teen and teen minds. While I believe that's true for the most part, I don't think is true about all things and especially about gaming, Pokemon even more so.  As far as a media goes Pokemon, at least at the beginning, was a bridging medium between movies, TV shows, games, and card games.  So while all 4 of these existed and were popular among certain crowds before Pokemon, after every major media medium was connected.  Suddenly cards players had something in common with movie watchers, who had something in common with gamers, who had something in common with TV shows and Pokemon became this almost omnipresent idea in the media and in the minds of young people.  Also a a medium in it self it has a unique aspect that before hand was non-existent in games and media, community.  Before the Pokemon over-took the social atmosphere of the minds of the first players, gaming and card games were very individualistic hobbies.  You might have half a dozen friends or so that played what you played but chances are you hobbies weren't the popular hobby.  After Pokemon you were almost forced to play with other people, I mean that was the basis for the whole game.  You go around collecting Pokemon, battling other trainers and being the best.  Not just in a virtual sense either in a real physical sense, too.  Your actual friends and your friends to be were now viable traders and opponents in your quest to become stronger.  This idea was video game and card game alike.

Section 1: The Intro To Pokemon

Now I'm going to assume that most people have heard of Pokemon.  Maybe not much but in someway in some form they have heard of Pokemon.  In is origin, the adventures of a young lad who leaves home at ten and travels the world catching Pokemon.  The idea has been likened to insect collecting.  ( http://pokedream.com/pokemon/infocenter/tajiri.php )  The difference being Pokemon have elemental abilities.  Fire, Earth, Electric, Flying etc.  Each of these elemental abilities has a strength against and a weakness to another type.  The goal of the Pokemon universe whether that be in the game, in the show or in the card game is two things.  To completely fill the Pokedex, your electronic encyclopedia of Pokemon, and/or assemble the strongest team of six Pokemon you can, defeat every other trainer's team, and become the Pokemon Master.  Its really not complicated.  In fact if the complexity ended here Pokemon would not be as popular as it is.

Oh Pokemon.  How you enthrall us with your alluring thunder-shocks and embers.  But there is a flaw.  Seen as a proverbial crack in the glass window. When in reality, its more of a separation of tectonic plates.  A division that will, for the foreseeable future, separate the original Poke-Masters from the new breed of youngsters and school-lads calling themselves trainers.

Before we delve into this, we must first look at the start of the journey. The beginning of the quest to catch 'em all.

Formalities

First a little bit about this blog.  Just the whys, whats and whos of starting a Pokemon blog , in other words the basic formalities.  This is a blog that should in essence cover everything from the basic idea behind Pokemon i.e. what they are and what the series is about, to the cultural impact of Pokemon i.e. the mentality of people playing Pokemon, to the more interesting (albeit more geeky) details like EVs, IVs, and perfect Pokemon raising.

If  you haven't guessed already, I am an unashamed Poke-fan.  I've been playing Pokemon for over a decade through every generation of the game.  I'm not claiming to be the know all expert, but through this blog I intend to explain things I know and learn what I don't.  However, writing everything I intend to write in one continuing blog will be a lot, and as I am probably writing to multiple people with very different levels of exposure to Pokemon and different interest in different aspects of Pokemon, I will actually have four different sections

(1) The Basics, Beginning, and Idea of Pokemon (This is the place to start if you want to understand the other sections but know virtually nothing about Pokemon.)

(2) The Social Aspect of Pokemon (This will contain the different views of trainers (i.e. players) from an in game view and a real world view.  This section will require some basic to intermediate knowledge of Pokemon.)

(3) The Games (This will be an advanced section for people who want to up their game or just want solid tips but don't know where to start or where to find them. This will require a solid understanding of most intermediate principals and experience with the games)

(4) The Geek Section (If you're like me and you really just want to read some neat facts and hidden stories of the Pokemon universe, this is the section for you.  This will contain the origin story of the Pokemon universe, as well as any interesting stories about individual Pokemon and or characters from the series that I can find.  )