For all of its problems -- from inappropriate places to play, injuries, and robberies -- Pokémon Go also brings out the good in millennials. The College Fix even suggests it shows "that millennials are secretly in love with capitalism." At the very least, "in the grand scheme of things that are ruining higher education, Pokémon Go is probably near the bottom of the list."
Andrew Garofalo, a rising senior at the University of North Carolina, wrote a pretty convincing article for the Pope Center for Higher Education Policy titled, "Pokémon Go Is Booming on Campus, and That's a Good Thing."
Garofalo calls the game "free market capitalism at its best," and "spontaneous order at work." He also wonders what new degree programs and industries will come about as a result.
"Based on the staggering popularity of this game, which now has more daily users than Twitter, Pandora, Netflix, and Spotify, it’s safe to say we’ve only scratched the surface of what could end up being a major breakthrough for entertainment, education, and other sectors," he writes.
In a similar vein, Pokémon Go helps businesses increase their traffic by allowing them to pay for more Pokémon near their location. While playing the game, Garofalo and his friends (his "PoGo" group), also saw a movie and ate at a restaurant.
Garofalo doesn't stop there. He said the game could lead to exploring campus more than ever before; "positive effects on cognitive development," including for those with mental health issues; fundraisers, advocacy and charity events; and acclimating incoming freshman.
Garofalo said Pokémon Go players aren't the students advocating for trigger warnings or calling for controversial speakers to be banned. The players "are working students who avoid the 'progressive' agitators in our midst."
"At the least, the game will provide a healthy way to enliven the campus community," Garofalo concluded. "And maybe it will cause us to reassess why our tuition is going to diversity offices, given that this game is doing so much more to bring so many people from so many different backgrounds together in a spirit of camaraderie."