Trough of Disillusionment

While I was researching further info on 3D printing for my post on it, I happened upon a fascinating term. That term is evidently the exact title of this post. The term seems apt for describing some of my current Pokémon experiences, as well as those of others. It becomes something that may be worth discussing as well, because it involves mixed emotions in response to them.

To understand how this can be the case, it is necessary to explain how the term comes about. When an innovation makes itself present (such as 3D printing), people may become highly excited up to a certain fever pitch, and then this excitement drops when they realize it may not prove apparently useful. However, then the excitement rises again over time as they realize how it can be useful, which may or may not reach the previous high. The drop in excitement from the high peak is what is called the "trough of disillusionment", because when seen on a chart, it looks like a narrow gap between the quick fall and the slow second rise.

Something Pokémon that I personally still feel that I'm in the "trough" is VGC battling. It's been about four years since I've dabbled in this mode of battling... and I'm still dabbling. I passed my peak of excitement about a few months after I started dabbling, and I've barely moved out of the trough. Time doesn't help matters much, and it has to be the greatest restriction; I can barely even keep up with, say, the three series for VGC 2019. I suppose as things progress, I won't be disillusioned, but first, I've got to get things right.

Outside of VGC, the biggest disillusionment for me and anyone else that plays Pokémon Go is probably getting a Nintendo Switch to play the Let's Go games, which had just been released a couple of days ago. It's surely exciting, but I suppose many of us haven't been enlightened enough to justify getting one, even based on what has been revealed about the games before the release. But as more information rolls in, I'm sure many will take the plunge. This too seems to be a matter of time for me; I remember having the same sense of disillusionment right around when I got my first 3DS, but then over time it became one of my indispensable gaming tools, especially for Pokémon. The same story will potentially repeat with the Switch.

There is also a sense that some people may have entered the "trough" with the release of the Detective Pikachu movie trailer. I say it's rather exciting, and it is, but with this as the only information available regarding the movie, it's somewhat of a disillusion for them as well. For this one, there is not much that can be done; it just has to be waited out for more information up to its release.

If things are any indication, it seems that the "trough of disillusionment" can occur with just about anything, including Pokémon things. But then that's what really happens when excitement is on a collision course with reality. After the collision, what's next is picking up the pieces and molding them into a much better excitement. It's something that I (and some other people) hope to happen with these Pokémon things as well.

One year ago: A Little Teaser... and Guessing Game