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Nov 2nd, 2010 at 23:05:49 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PC) |
I must have played the two missions in a row that struck me as big ethical issues. The first was then I was told by Officer Tenpenny to set fire to a rival gang's house. Little did I know there was a woman in there on the second story. The cops' blackmailing of CJ naturally led him to set fire to the house, it was a "win/win" situation for him. But going into it, I didn't even foresee anyone else being in the house.
This shows a lack of ethical decision on both CJ (Or, I suppose, me) and the cops, as neither considered the consequences of the situation. Talk about ethical egoism. It doesn't even seem like this act was helping the community as a whole, but rather exercising Tenpenny's powertrip.
The second mission that struck me was when I was forced into killing some Ballas at a funeral. Naturally, they were all strapped and ready to fight back, but in a place that is considered sacred, it's unjust to fight people at their weakest moment. You could tell, however, that CJ didn't resonate with this plan. He was reluctant when speaking to his brother about it. This is probably the first shred of morality that CJ shows. In the end, he ends up going with and killing the funeral's attendees, but at this point, you notice some dissonance between the lengths that his brother is willing to go to, and CJ's.
Overall, San Andreas is full of a crowd of misled individuals who have turned to violence to solve their problems. Ironically, if all of the gangs were to ban together against the corrupt police force, no one would be able to stand in their way. This is a form of blind ethical egoism in a sense. Everyone is out for themselves and unable to see the big picture. But with little knowledge of gangs and their workings, I'm not particularly the best person to judge this fictional situation. I'm ust thankful that I don't live in a situation like CJs.
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Nov 2nd, 2010 at 23:05:28 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PC) |
I must have played the two missions in a row that struck me as big ethical issues. The first was then I was told by Officer Tenpenny to set fire to a rival gang's house. Little did I know there was a woman in there on the second story. The cops' blackmailing of CJ naturally led him to set fire to the house, it was a "win/win" situation for him. But going into it, I didn't even foresee anyone else being in the house.
This shows a lack of ethical decision on both CJ (Or, I suppose, me) and the cops, as neither considered the consequences of the situation. Talk about ethical egoism. It doesn't even seem like this act was helping the community as a whole, but rather exercising Tenpenny's powertrip.
The second mission that struck me was when I was forced into killing some Ballas at a funeral. Naturally, they were all strapped and ready to fight back, but in a place that is considered sacred, it's unjust to fight people at their weakest moment. You could tell, however, that CJ didn't resonate with this plan. He was reluctant when speaking to his brother about it. This is probably the first shred of morality that CJ shows. In the end, he ends up going with and killing the funeral's attendees, but at this point, you notice some dissonance between the lengths that his brother is willing to go to, and CJ's.
Overall, San Andreas is full of a crowd of misled individuals who have turned to violence to solve their problems. Ironically, if all of the gangs were to ban together against the corrupt police force, no one would be able to stand in their way. This is a form of blind ethical egoism in a sense. Everyone is out for themselves and unable to see the big picture. But with little knowledge of gangs and their workings, I'm not particularly the best person to judge this fictional situation. I'm ust thankful that I don't live in a situation like CJs.
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Oct 31st, 2010 at 23:22:18 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PC) |
Dear Diary: Today, a police officer broke into both of my friends' houses, I robbed a train, stormed an army outpost, stole a "rhyme book" from a famous rapper's mansion, and only had to visit the hospital twice.
During the mission in which I had to steal Mad Dog's rhyme book, I felt like my ethical background had vanished completely. Why was I even doing this? Because a friend of mine can't rap to save his life? Really? I also had to steal a van for him, and eventually drown the famous rapper and his girlfriend after pretending to be one of his bodyguards. Clearly this resonates with the virtue approach, even if they aren't MY virtues. CJ needs to straighten out his priorities and let people do their own dirty work.
It seems I still can't catch a break from the cops. Sometimes all it takes is a tap from my car to send them into a shooting frenzy. Then they go and break into the houses of two of my best friends, and set my gang up to fight other rival gangs for control of an ammo train. San Andreas is void of any "Law and Order."
It seems my "homies" are itching to get their hands on as many ammunitions as they possibly can. Killing innocent people in the army base for a few guns, then going on a killing spree in a downtown skyrise with Big. I'm starting to lose faith in the characters and the reasoning behind their actions. Frankly, they seem to be putting themselves in positions to get killed. It if weren't for the fact that I can absorb more bullets than Spongebob Squarepants can water, we'd all be screwed. Thank God for some great genes.
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Oct 30th, 2010 at 18:22:48 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PC) |
Ten minutes into Grand Theft Auto:San Andreas I've already been harassed by the police, busted my shit on a bicycle while escaping from a rival gang, killed my brother in a horrific car crash...twice...picked up a hooker, killed a hooker, followed a hooker to her hooker friends and beat them with my bare hands, ate ten burgers in one sitting and found myself horridly obese, then worked off all of that fat within two days of living in the local gym.
All of this without barely touching the story mode which I found ridiculously strict. I'm asked to tag over three rival gangs' tags in our territory. At the last tag, there is a police officer pacing back and forth in the alley way. After I tag the wall, the police officer comes toward me, baton in hand. My fight or flight reflexes kick in and I do what any level-headed person would do in a situation like this: I take my spray can and asphyxiate the police officer to death, take his weapons, and spend the next five minutes trying (yet failing miserably) to avoid the cops. All because my deadbeat friends seemingly have no ability to do the work themselves.
Did I MEAN to kill the police officer? No. It just so happened that the first thing I did in response to his assault was spray him in the face. Only later was I informed by the game that asphyxiation of other characters was possible. I'm a terrible, terrible person. Yet the game doesn't present you with many options. If you are being chased by the cops, they aren't going to try to take you alive. In fact, a rating of two stars or more, and you will shot ON SIGHT, regardless of where you are, or what you are holding. Out for a meal with your buddies? On a date with your girlfriend? Breast feeding your young child? It doesn't matter to these ruthless mechanical killing machines. You can't turn yourself in, in fact, you aren't even given the option. You could be caught pissing in an dank alley, and an entire squad of police officers will fill you with holes.
Not to worry though, because matter how severe your injuries, you'll always respawn with a little less money, and all of your weapons taken away. GTA attempts to portray the police in such a brutal way that you almost feel justified to do the things you're asked to do in the game. This isn't to say that the game is an accurate description of real life, but that you're almost tossed into the mindset of CJ himself -- bitter toward anyone who isn't holding his hand at all times.
Because of this, I'm very much in an ethical egocentric state of mind. I'm out to protect myself. I can kill anyone in the game and it doesn't make a single difference. I can slaughter my "homies" and blow up their car, or burn their house down (Or at least pretend to) and it doesn't affect me in the slightest. It's every man for himself, and it's a damn shame if they can't fight back.
This entry has been edited 1 time. It was last edited on Oct 30th, 2010 at 18:24:07.
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