Parenting
Perspectives on Parenting©
by Nancy Lambert Davenport


Nancy Davenport's Column:
For Richardson News 12-05-99
Copyright Nancy Lambert Davenport 1999


"Pro's and Con's of Pokemon"


[Pokemon is supposed to be spelled with an accent over the e. I don't have an accent on my computer.]

I decided that I it was time to learn about Pokemon or at least try to understand the phenomenon. So I made the first step of knowledge-literally. I went to a theater and after watching one movie, I stepped into the theater next door where Pokemon was playing. I stood in the back and watched for a moment.

My perfunctory observation was that the action was minimal, the color drab, the art simplistic, and the sound loud. Not wanting to make a snap judgement, I did further research on the internet and talked with some kids who know and love Pokemon.

Pokemon was created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1995 as a game for Nintendo Game Boy. It was a runaway success in Japan and then here. The popular television program spun off of that with its toys, clothing, trading cards, and now a movie. So what's it all about?

At last count, there were over150 Pokemon monsters each with a name. The creatures can be as tiny as a football or as tall as one of our cottonwood trees. Each monster has a specific character and ability. They are always related to some element like fire or water and their strength to fight lies in that. Each Pokemon has a set of "techniques" it uses to attack, such as scratching or singing or tackling. Each also has characteristics that are "good against" or "bad against" its opposition. Those which are "good against" would be used successfully to defeat an opponent. Those which are "bad against" might not be helpful in besting an enemy. To make it more confusing, some of the creatures can change or evolve.

I can say a few good things about the Pokemon business. The trading card side of the phenomenon might develop in kids some interpersonal skills, negotiating skills, and other business skills. Many children seem to take delight in memorizing the various monsters' individual names and "techniques." Memorization skills can certainly carry over into school. I think though that the greatest benefit might be that a child might sit up and realize the silliness of an obsession such as this one.

He (I say he because 80% of the fans are boys) might see that the story lines are minimal, and that violence is the overriding theme to resolve conflict whether it is in the movie, the television program, or the games. This is nothing new of course to any of those three areas of entertainment, but in light of the real violence in our world today, parents may want to consider just how much exposure is good as a form of entertainment. In addition, witchcraft is portrayed in a positive light. Remember, Pokemon is distributed by the same company as Dungeons and Dragons, so we cannot expect much along the lines of an uplifting character building pastime.

I don't think this is going to surprise anyone. Pokemon is all about selling something, anything. It's not about raising kids well. That part is up to us, so we need to be alert. We need to resist giving unlimited access to Pokemon and programs like it that will pop up in the future because there is simply not much good in them. We need to offer alternatives-conversation, baseball cards, playing catch; and we need to be the parent.




Return to  Top of Page
Return to  Table of Contents
Return to  Home Page

Nancy Lambert Davenport
EMAIL: ndavenport@ticnet.com
URL: http://www.nancyldavenport.com