Torture and Video Games

(Grand Theft Auto 5 Cover Art)

In an article titled “Grand Theft Auto 5 under fire for graphic torture scene” by Alex Hern of The Guardian, Hern explains how Grand Theft Auto 5 has come under fire from not only human rights groups, but also teachers, professors, and lawyers. All of Herns sources state that the game developing company Rockstar North had crossed a line by forcing players to torture a unarmed man in order to be successful in the game. I too believe that the addition of torture to this game was a mistake, for as the more torture we are exposed to in all forms of media, the more dull our senses become to such atrocities.

(Torture scene from GTA 5)

For example, in any given movie I will be more emotional over the death of a dog than that of a human, simply because watching people being killed on screen has become an elementary part of movie viewing. If torture becomes an imperative part of our movie watching experience, the easier it will be for us to think nothing of it. I think that is not the road that we should go down, and if for any reason a torture scene should be shown, it should be to condemn the process, not glorify it. This point is driven home by the fact that many younger children, who might possibly have older siblings, would be able to view the torture scene. Although I am not the parent of a child, if I were I would not want my young child exposed to that sort of violence and cruelty. Jack Thompson, an attorney from Florida who brought several lawsuits against the GTA 5 creators called the game “the gravest assault upon children in this country since polio”. While I believe that the game creators have the right to create this content, I believe that parents need to know what their children can potentially be exposed to and try to steer them away from such content.

(Torture Scene from GTA 5)

The violence aside, the torture scene does even more than desensitize us to the use of force in torture, but it also makes players feel that torture works, because the victim in the game gives accurate information. Some game critics defended the scene, saying that is was a comment on the use of waterboarding and interrogation techniques employed by the United States. Editor of Gamespot Carolyn Petit argues against the defending of it stating "But the fact that Trevor (The main character) tortures the man regardless, and that he does end up spilling more information as a result, sends a very different message”. We must all be aware of the senseless violence that media outlets display, and be wise enough to create our own judgements about their intended meanings.

Works Cited:

Hern, Alex. "Grand Theft Auto 5 under Fire for Graphic Torture Scene." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 19 Feb. 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/sep/18/grand-theft-auto-5-under-fire-for-graphic-torture-scene>.