8 Video Games That Are Way More Intelligent Than You Think

7. Grand Theft Auto V - Cruel Optimism

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Rockstar

With a lot of philosophical and sociological takes on the franchise, I'd strongly recommend The Meaning and Culture of Grand Theft Auto, edited by Nate Garrelts, however one school of thought that hasn't been applied enough to the series is 'Cruel Optimism'.

Created by Lauren Berlant, the term describes goals that are supposed to make us happy, but fail to deliver on that promise.

For example, in the case of Michael, it's the life that he wanted to "escape to", leaving his past behind by symbolically changing his name. Michael turns his back on Brad and Trevor, and decides to move to Los Santos, where he can sit in his mansion and do nothing. It's only when he meets Franklin and comes back to committing crimes that life becomes fun again.

Franklin aims to leave "the hood" behind, but he's never at home with his new group of affiliates, as they always change the manner in which they address him to sound more stereotypically 'African-American'. Even though Franklin is involved in insider trading, and has a house in the more exclusive part of town, he cannot shake the "homie" label.

Trevor is a predator and his sole goal is survival. Hence if he's supposed to do something in order to survive - save his life, crush the competition, make money, etc. - he's willing to do the most violent act possible. But when a mission doesn't involve this goal - when he has to find a celebrity "artefact" for an elderly couple or take two drunk lovers to a motel - he gladly commits to the task.

It may be therefore assumed that his aim is "the good life," but he has to do so much nasty stuff to reach it, that he eventually becomes miserable. With some transgressions involved, obviously, this is still Trevor we're talking about.

Contributor

I write sitting with my dogs on the sofa, which often leads to whole paragraphs being deleted by a single touch of a paw or a nose.