Finding The Satire In Grand Theft Auto

BY ADAM SHLOMI

Grand Theft Auto Five is a violent, destructive game, but also a beautiful satire. It is remarkably self-aware, and no other game has ever come close to showcasing the problems in our society with such accuracy. That is, however, due to the fact that GTAV is the problem in our society. All of these claims are valid; GTA is a negative influence on people, but its also strangely intelligent. Basically, Grand Theft Auto is a notable parody of American life that is lost on its audience, and has both positives and negatives that balance each other out.

When I first bought GTAV I played it for hours on end, after school I’d lie down on the couch, turn on my Playstation, and become utterly consumed by murder, looting, and the game’s namesake, committing grand theft auto. I can confidently say it wasn’t a positive influence.  It affected me both consciously and subconsciously, as my dreams suddenly became filled with violence and blood. Guns and bullets were whizzing past me as I wandered around in the depths of my subconscious.

Interestingly, I am not the only one with these experiences. Alec Silvester, a fellow student, reports that he sees the effects of GTA on him and his driving.

“When I’m stuck at a red light now all I want to do is drive. I think to myself I could so gun [drive through] this light right now.” Silvester said.

These effects tarnish our society by creating further violence. Harvard Medical School Center for Mental Health and numerous other studies support this, including one that focused specifically on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Personally, I don’t believe GTAV has caused anyone to go out and literally commit Grand Theft Auto, but it certainly has encouraged the idea. It’s one thing to read about a double homicide; it’s another to control a character that runs around Venice Beach firing off RPGs. This makes the world of violence and crime far more realistic to the gamer, in that they are truly experiencing it. They are making the violence happen. This creates a world were violence becomes one step closer to reality for testosterone filled, impressionable teenage boys.

This in no way benefits society, it’s not asking for children to question everything and embrace understanding, it’s allowing kids to murder and steal. It connects people to a world of violence. Crime rates start to rise and murder becomes more of a norm.

Although the game is a remarkable feat, and an incredible achievement in the development and creation of video games, the negatives are powerful and can’t be ignored.

There is, however, a positive side to GTA, as it’s a self-aware satire that is unparalleled in its delivery and accuracy. Rockstar Games are unwilling to force feed the parody though; rather they make the user search for it. They leave signs plastered around the city, create fake TV programming, and have small side missions to paint a picture of a failing, materialistic, and disconnected culture.

Generally, in order to understand the intelligent themes, one must seek them out. In order to complete the game one must murder, but to find the spoof one must spend time exploring the sandbox setting. This is why the parody is unrecognized by many. Spending time searching for a crack about the price of a designer label or how religion affects America probably wont appeal to the average gamer. Thus, GTA ridicules society, but only makes it known to those who are open to discovery.

Much like GTA4 centered on the myth of the American Dream, GTAV focuses on American life and society. It takes shots at everything from consumerism to social trends. Michael, one of three main characters, is a retired criminal living in Beverly Hills. He is used to show the downfalls of the “American dream” and the life of a nuclear family. He lives with his trendy wife, his promiscuous daughter, and his loser son. He is angry and depressed, upset that he cannot find any true meaning as he complains about his life to his recurring psychologist. Michael is character is meant to epitomize how superficial life can be for Wealthy Americans. A man with enough money to last a lifetime spends most of his time tanning or watching movies, completely empty inside as he admittedly hates himself. Whenever he’s on the verge of self-realization, about the flaws in his thinking and his need for change his shrink says he’s “out of time.” This is meant to poke fun at the hollowed wealthy in America who can be seen bickering over first world problems rather then practical issues.

Michael’s wife, Amanda, demonstrates America’s obsession with pointless trends and other issues with the sad caricature of the desperate housewife. She does yoga, cheats on her husband, and spends too much money on brand name clothing, all as she complains about how she feels no love in her marriage and her life is a mess. She is filling her mind with gossip and her dressers with designer labels as she too yearns for more.

Tracy, his daughter, is an exaggerated representation of a wealthy Beverley Hills teenage girl.  A personality worthy of a Bravo TV show, she suffers from parenting issues and a desire for fame. She’s willing to do sexual favors for a shot at being on TV, a direct attack on America’s obsession with fame.

However, no character is as brilliant as Michael’s son, Jimmy, as he shows the stunning self-awareness that Rockstar games posses. According to his father Jimmy is the epitome of a lazy, mindlessly self-indulgent teenage boy. In other words, Jimmy is that typical Grand Theft Auto player. His father complains about his incredibly violent games and his lack of a job. He is a privileged Daddy’s boy who stays home all day and never works as he leaves his dad frustrated and disappointed. All together, they form one big, angry, dysfunctional, yet surprisingly run-of-the-mill, American family.

Grand Theft Auto Five does a beautiful job making fun of the average American Family. It constantly pushes the envelope in order for us to reevaluate what is appropriate. However, this doesn’t excuse it from the violence, misogyny, and numerous other evils the game puts forward. As I sit down on my couch and turn on my TV I get ready to kill, steal, and smash, I begin to wonder how badly I’m affected, how much more violent I’m becoming, and then the game finishes loading…what was I talking about again?