Making Torture Accessible: Fun for the Family ~ Op Ed

For today’s blog entry, I will be modifying my normal style, of relating historical events to the present, by talking about a current event and responding to it in op-ed style. The discussion I would like to have today centers around violence, torture in particular, that has become common in society through its use in video games and in media. 

 

GTAV Cover showing elements of the game ~ Getty Images

Rockstar Games, makers of the very popular but controversial Grand Theft Auto series, have always received a lot of criticism about the premise of their games.  In game play of Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTAV), the user must “…electrocute a man, pull out his teeth and use other various torture implements,” for the purposes of gathering information and progress in the game (Tsukayama). To give you a bit more background, the entire Grand Theft Auto series of games began in 1997, and has always centered on crime and violence. You can play as a range of different criminals in order to complete the objective, giving the user a great deal of control over gameplay.

With the background covered, I would like to look at ReadWrite’s article, “Confronting Video Game Torture, After The CIA’S Report,” as well as some points made by The Washington Post’s piece “Here’s what makes torture in video games worse than on TV,” and respond in an op-ed fashion.

        

Torture Scene from Splinter Cell ~ ReadWrite

    In ReadWrite’s article, they center their piece on the late Justice Scalia’s statement about the use of torture, and how it justifies its use in real life, as he uses the show 24, as an example of how torture is acceptable in media. In the show, Jack Bauer is tasked with disarming a bomb that would blow up Los Angeles.  Scalia states that, “Jack Bauer saved Los Angeles…He saved hundreds of thousands of lives… Is any jury going to convict Jack Bauer?” (Grahm). 

I disagree with Scalia’s statement, as it refers to, the often-used justification, of the greater good. One persons suffering, and severe bodily harm, cannot be justified by the outcome. The article tries to further this point, by translating it to videogames. I take issue with this, as there is a distinct difference between the users involvement in game play versus television. It is not fair to correlate the actions of an actor, to user input in a game like Grand Theft Auto with regards to moving a joystick back and forth, to simulate pulling out a tooth. This is not the same as going out, kidnapping someone, and doing that in real life. I think that this is where a strong distinction must be made, because you cannot assume that everyone who plays the game is inclined to act upon what they have done virtually.

The article also argues that this kind of gameplay desensitizes people to violence, but the same could be said about numerous television shows and films that do the same. It is simply not fair to say that videogames promote the use of violence, to obtain new information, as just that is done in critically acclaimed shows such as 24, action films like the Bourne series, and many others.  This argument fixates on the belief that video games are more influential, or make more of an impression on those who play them, than other forms of media, which is simply not the case. With the evident success of the Grand Theft Auto series, there is clearly a demand for this type of gameplay, and simply removing torture from the game will not solve the problem.

            Despite all the opinions surrounding the topic, I believe that there is a sensible way to solve the problem of torture in digital media. Understand the show you are about to watch, or game you are about to buy, and if it happens to include torture, do not buy or watch it. If the market does not like the product, the company will realize, and change it. If not, they risk loosing tremendous amounts of money and relations, as their product fails in the face of the consumers. Though this is a hypothetical, and very simple solution, this kind of feedback is vital in the world we live in. Without the consumer’s response, there would be little innovation or incentive to keep pushing forward.

Works Cited

Grahm, Roy. "Confronting Video Game Torture, After The CIA’S Report." ReadWrite.

N.p., 7 Jan. 2015. Web. 9 Mar. 2016.

"Grand Theft Auto: The Official Site." Grand Theft Auto: The Official Site. Rockstar

Games, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.

Tsukayama, Hayley. "Here’s What Makes Torture in Video Games Worse than on

TV." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 20 Sept. 2013. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.

Growing New Roots

Fredrick Douglass ~NY Historical Scociety

           For this evenings entry I’m going to modify my original plan, of relating historical conflict to the modern-day, and discuss how past experiences have shaped me as a person. I do not normally like to talk about myself, in excess, but I believe that it is important for people to document important life events and how it has helped them grow. This can be seen, historically, with the Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, an American Slave, stating that he ”… wish[es] [he] could commit to paper the feelings with which [he] beheld” (Douglass 50). Douglass does just this, as he tells the story of him as a slave, and all the external factors that make him into the man we know him to be.

            One major transition that I made, early in life, was moving from Wilmington, Delaware to Chicago, Illinois. Wilmington was a relatively quiet city that did not have the bustling atmosphere that Chicago does. In addition, our old home in Wilmington was the place I was where I spent my infancy, and first 7 years of my life. Looking back at the move, I would not expect a 7 year old to be so deeply affected by it, but I distinctly remember being very homesick for my first 2-3 years in Chicago. Despite all my initial displeasure, I can safely say that living in Chicago benefited me greatly. Admittedly, it was an awkward transition, but the community I moved into shaped me both mentally and spiritually.

Hindu Mandir of Lake County

            Something that I did not expect to happen was an increase in my spirituality. I am a practicing Hindu, but I was never very active with any temples or religious groups within the community. After moving to Chicago, I found a small, but tight knit group of fellow American bourn Indians who wanted to explore our cultural identity. We would go to the temple, which was about 30 minutes away from home, and made it a communal activity for Saturday mornings. This turned into something that we began looking forward to, as we would spend the rest of the days with each other. Despite all everything else that happened, early on, this has to be one of the most memorable experiences I have ever had.

Moving is difficult for anyone, and it proved to be quite disorienting for me. By having a close group of friends, it made the transition smoother, laying a strong moral and spiritual foundation for my future. Though I am not as active, in the Hindu community in Irvine, I will always hold my group of temple friends close to heart. While I cannot compare the hardships of moving, to what Fredrick Douglas had to go through, writing this entry has opened my eyes to all that I can recall, and document through writing. Though this entry has largely been me reminiscing over my youth, I am glad that I can write it down, and understand how these experiences have made me who I am.

Works Cited

Douglass, Fredrick. Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass. New York: Penguin

Group, 1845. Print.