Id, Ego, Superego: Grand Theft Auto V

TechHive Grand Theft Auto V Article

With the release of Grand Theft Auto V, the controversy surrounding violent video games has noticeably picked up again. The media and the public seem to be split on whether the brutal crimes it depicts have real-life ramifications, or if they are simply part of the game. Many advocate for censorship of GTA5, as they believe that it affects players both psychologically and socially further contributing to a culture of violence. However, proponents of the game argue that games such as GTA5 can actually act to prevent crimes from taking place. In an article for TechHive, one of the voice actors is quoted as saying, ““GTA allows you to tap into everything that you can’t do in real life. In real life, you don’t get to go out and rampage and do all these bad things…That’s why they’re so popular. You get to actually go out and do all these horrible things.”

 

This can be tied into Freud's idea of the id, ego, and superego as it suggests that there is a certain animalistic drive in humans that is always in danger of escaping and must be suppressed by the ego and superego. According to TechHive's article, they are suggesting that Grand Theft Auto V provides a safe outlet for the destructive tendencies that are "pleasurable" and horrible. Since the superego imposes the cultural values and morals to NOT murder NOT abuse and NOT steal, GTA5 advocates suggest that this balance between reality and gaming may satisfy the ego and restrict violence to the screen. They argue it is an important outlet for people to be able to experience the intensity and ability to make impulsive/violent decisions without harming anyone. However, both sides of the debate can agree that the Grand Theft Auto games are NOT for children and are intended for adult participants.