If you haven’t noticed, we are repeating experiences, memories and life that was lived from 15 years ago.
Time is a funny thing; one moment you’re a carefree teenager conquering the world and the next you are an adult trying to be better at “adulting” than other adults. That’s what makes it so good I suppose? You never really know how quickly things can change or how slowly they stay the same, just dressed in a different shirt. A testament to the fact I present is this: Pokémon GO.
Buddy loves chasing pigeons outside and just because he loves it, doesn’t mean he ever gets it right (for obvious reasons though). I too love chasing pigeons, but on my screen. See it all started when I was in High School and I discovered the Pokémon games. The biggest thing that drew me to the game was the maternal instinct I felt to catch these monsters and raise them to be strong and confident. Sounds funny? Well it’s pretty much like playing Sims; you start small and raise your characters as you go along, much like reflecting on how we go through life minus the monsters roaming around (figuratively speaking).
When I sat down with my fiancée and told her about the new game, she gave a hearty laugh and just shook her head while smiling, not making me feel like I was stupid for playing the game, but perhaps wondering how a grown man could be drawn to the allure of chasing digital monsters on his phone. How could I not be drawn to it when everything happening around us currently is recycled from the 90’s onwards? Clinton is running for president, my favourite punk rock band from 2000 Blink182 released a new album and Pokémon is “cool” for once in its life span of 20+ years. How can I not feel like a kid again?
All of these things point me to one thought: this is an ode to creativity and not to celebrate it, but perhaps to mourn it. Movies, music and literature all borrow from the past even if they don’t admit it. Gone are the days of originality, but it’s not all bad. I for one am enjoying this nostalgic trip myself and many others are on currently and reinvention is just as good as creation.
Buddy is taking the dog food and leaving it out in the open whilst hiding around the bend, luring the pigeons into his trap. He reinvented the way of catching his prey. Not sure if I walk around with a loaf of bread that I’ll have more luck finding them on my phone.
