In case you hadn’t heard, we partnered up with Stack Up, a charity that supports veterans mental health through gaming and geek culture. We spoke with their Community Programs Manager Zach Kenny and it became apparent right away that it was a natural fit. The awesome thing about Stack Up is their evidence based approach to mental health advocacy. We’re talking peer reviewed research conducted at Johns Hopkins University proving that Stack Up is doing it right. Yeah, that Johns Hopkins. It doesn’t get any more legit than that. Check them out at the link at the end of the article.
The timing of our partnership actually coincided with the pinnacle of the Mayhem Family’s geekery of choice, the Pokemon North American International Championships (NAIC). That right, my kiddo Middle Mayhem is a competitive Pokemon trainer.
The Pokemon NAIC is held yearly in New Orleans and is attended by thousands of fellow geeks from all around the world. Trainers of all ages compete in the Pokemon Go mobile game, the 5 on 5 team game Pokemon Unite, the Pokemon Video Game platformer, and the Pokemon Trading Card Game which is the event of choice of Middle Mayhem.
So full confession, I’m a recovering “cool guy” (aka asshole). I was one of those pricks that used to bully geeks just like my kiddos for no other reason than to overcompensate for my own insecurities. I hate this prior version of myself and am genuinely embarrassed by my douchebaggery. I know that I can’t apologize to all of those I bullied but I hope that my support and advocacy for mental health awareness suffices as adequate penance for my prior sins. I am truly sorry and embarrassed, my friends in geekery.
We talk about the mosh pit a lot at RockMental and modeled our Mosh Pit Mentality after the most basic and universal rule of the pit. If somebody falls, you pick them up. No matter who they are. No matter who they love. No matter how they voted. And at this weekend’s Pokemon NAIC, I learned that the Pokemon geeks have a mosh pit of their own. That’s right, these Pokemon trainers are metal AF.
The first thing that impressed me about this event was the diversity of the competitors and spectators in attendance. We’re talking all stripes. Skin of all colors and languages of all dialects. Sexuality across the spectrum and genders of all identities. There were Grunt Style t-shirts and western boots mixed in with skater drab and Pokemon gear. Some were athletically dressed with moisture wicking shirts and sensible trainers while others opted for opulent Pokemon inspired costumes adorned with their favorite fighters. I even saw a few Deftones, Slipknot, and Tool t-shirts and had a conversation with a complete stranger about one of my favorite groups ††† (Crosses).
What impressed me the most, though, was the complete lack of overt douchebaggery at the event. As in all competitions, there are winners and losers. Unlike with some other more popular sporting events, I didn’t see a single tantrum. Not a single act of aggression. The only voices raised were those congratulating or consoling. The “alpha” energy was all but nonexistent at this event and it was refreshing. And despite of everything happening in the world today, if only for a weekend, there was no politics, no religion, no virtue signaling. Just Pokemon.
I’m not a psychologist or a mental health professional but I suspect that a good portion of those in attendance at this event were marginalized in one way or another. Kids who were different, bullied for whichever shallow reason was popular at the time. Trans or gay kids struggling to find a community to fit in with. Girls just trying to find a safe place to have fun. People with disabilities who are physically unable to compete in more mainstream sports.
I suspect that every trainer there connects to Pokemon at a very personal and profound level, forming very deep emotional connections with these so-called cute cartoons. Geeks who are dismissed as weak and weird finding validation in a cute and bubbly cartoon fighters. Under the cute and nonthreatening surface, though, exists an absolutely ferocious monster. In case you didn’t know, Pokemon is a violent game. The capabilities that the Pokemon have in battle is nothing short of savage. And in a way, I sense that these geeky trainers, who likely survived years of bullying and abuse, see themselves as ferocious fighters under an unsuspecting appearance, proving you don’t have to be a douchebag to be an absolute badass.
As I was walking out of the last event of the weekend with Middle Mayhem, I caught one last glimpse of the geeks and nerds. As I observed trainers of all stripes hugging and exchanging contact info, I noticed something. Nobody cared about what people looked like or how they were dressed. It didn’t matter if they were gay, lesbian, or trans. It didn’t matter who or what their are. The only thing that mattered was whether you had your deck and time for a match. Hand up, hand out. Although it looks a little different, Pokemon trainers have a Mosh Pit Mentality of their own. Nobody is left out, nobody is bullied or marginalized. All are welcome.
Overall, Middle Mayhem did pretty well for his first Pokemon NAIC. He placed in the top 25% and I couldn’t be prouder. Not only because he did the work and left it all on the table, but also because he taught me something. Just like many others, he has formed a deep emotional connection with Pokemon. In the face of bullying and marginalization, he is an unapologetically geeky Pokemon trainer. He’s a lot braver than I was at his age. Whereas I hid my insecurities under a douchey facade, he proudly displays his geekiness through his love of Pokemon. I learned a lot from him and his fellow trainers this weekend. Mainly to not be afraid of being myself and embracing my inner geek. My boy even helped me pick up a deck of my own and he’s going to teach me how to play so I can compete side by side with my him next time around. Oh, and my favorite Pokemon is Zacian, he kind of reminds me of Falkor the Luck Dragon from the Never Ending Story. My geekery of choice when I was a kid.
Don’t forget to check out our new partners Stack Up at https://www.stackup.org. And if you’re a public health nerd like me, here’s the peer reviewed article from Johns Hopkins University .
Rock on and geek out,
Mayhem
