Games that have helped you understand human nature

[StaceyPowers]

In another thread, someone mentioned how part of fascism involves taking people who are scared or angry about something and giving them an out-group on which to focus their hate. This is a process I don’t think I fully understood until I played BioShock Infinite, and saw how Columbia’s government crafted a black-and-white narrative of the world built on racism and fundamentalism—and expressed that narrative so seductively through every aspect of the city’s architecture, art, products, and culture.

Are there games that have also helped you to better grasp some aspect of human nature or experience that previously, you did not understand?

[Reality vs Adventure]

The Walking Dead game series had a lot to do with human nature or their struggles with morality and against each other about as much if not more so than the zombies. Under certain circumstances, anyone can change and become 'the threat' to survivors whether in their own group or on the road. Trust, decision making, leadership, competence, integrity and morality and many other qualities are presented in the game. Even though it's just a game, it makes me think about those real behaviors in people and how they would act in crisis mode including my own self. We all think we are fully capable of handling situations but we never truly know. And it's weird to think about family and friends. Everything you know about them; how will they react with a group of people in a desperate survivor mode? 

Is someone very controlling who may want to dictate the group and not listen to everybody's input? Is someone a coward and throw you under the bus? Is someone immoral and may steal food, drugs, or supplies? Is someone a showoff who may murder to look tough? Is someone fearful and paranoid that may ultimately harm another first in false judgement? Is someone super quiet and self isolates from the group who creates distrust? Are you surrounded by man dogs that would take another's innocence? Or is there someone that you know you can count on? 

[The Blackangel]

I don't think games really grasp it, as they're a narrative of another time and/or place. If you want to know how worthless humans and human nature are, all you have to do is look out your front door.

[Reality vs Adventure]

On 12/25/2020 at 9:33 AM, The Blackangel said:

I don't think games really grasp it, as they're a narrative of another time and/or place. If you want to know how worthless humans and human nature are, all you have to do is look out your front door.

That is true

Out of all those war games, shooting games, villains in games, etc.; they are a reflection of human nature and all the violence we cause in real life as if it's perfectly normal to assume there is always conflict. Even if human nature always fails in not letting evil gain power, we also never fail to have our share of heroes. In games usually it's one person or a select few, which in real life it also seems the heroes are few, but they are among us at times we need them most. Human natures always has conflict; conflict needs balance; heroes are that balance. And they can't prevent every mess; things get worse before they get better; But sometimes be proud we have those among us that nobody even knows yet, has a hero stirring in their heart. Sometimes only tragedy can awaken that hero. They are among us. 

Games in general usually portray a hero as huge, or a knight, superhuman, some kind of commando etc. And it almost seems a person has to be that way to take on all the evil. In real life we wish we had those heroes at the ready. It seems so far away and almost fantasy to hope for someone to come to the rescue. Playing games give us that 'fight for the good!' We have a natural instinct to want to do what is right. But human nature blurs our minds with all its poison and blinds that natural instinct. So a hero is just as natural as a villain. Whereas villains are constantly attacking, we see more of them, till heroes rise.  

[The Blackangel]

Not all have a natural instinct to “do right”, as that is entirely interpretive. In war when one soldier kills one of the opposing side they have “done good” by their view, but done wrong by the other side. bin Laden thought he was doing good on 9/11. The rest of the world would mostly disagree.

Take me for example. I can watch a person dying and do nothing, without feeling guilt or remorse, as human life means nothing to me. To me, if anything that’s doing good because one more is now dead. That wouldn’t be good to you though would it?

As for heroes and villains, I think an anti-hero is more realistic. Take RDR2. You play as an outlaw who is a part of a gang of killers and thieves. Not exactly a hero, but you still side with him when he kills members of an enemy gang. Not just because you don’t want to die in game, but because you believe in his cause. Even though that cause is centered around criminal activity.

[StaceyPowers]

4 hours ago, Reality vs Adventure said:

Playing games give us that 'fight for the good!' We have a natural instinct to want to do what is right.

Spec Ops: The Line subverts this beautifully.

[StaceyPowers]

39 minutes ago, The Blackangel said:

As for heroes and villains, I think an anti-hero is more realistic

Come to think of it, most of the games I've really adored featured anti-heroes.

[killamch89]

Deus Ex - Human Revolution and Mankind Divided shows what happens when Humans encounter a few who don't look like the others - the majority discriminate against them and perform all kinds of evil acts against them. Then the discriminated people start fighting back and suddenly they're being labelled as "terrorist" which were a product of their environment. This leads to a "civil war". I've seen so many examples of this throughout my lifetime and have experienced this a few times myself so I can completely relate.

[Reality vs Adventure]

On 12/26/2020 at 2:24 PM, The Blackangel said:

Not all have a natural instinct to “do right”, as that is entirely interpretive. In war when one soldier kills one of the opposing side they have “done good” by their view, but done wrong by the other side. bin Laden thought he was doing good on 9/11. The rest of the world would mostly disagree.

Take me for example. I can watch a person dying and do nothing, without feeling guilt or remorse, as human life means nothing to me. To me, if anything that’s doing good because one more is now dead. That wouldn’t be good to you though would it?

As for heroes and villains, I think an anti-hero is more realistic. Take RDR2. You play as an outlaw who is a part of a gang of killers and thieves. Not exactly a hero, but you still side with him when he kills members of an enemy gang. Not just because you don’t want to die in game, but because you believe in his cause. Even though that cause is centered around criminal activity.

Innocence is that natural instinct until we are plagued by ideologies and the environment around us. You are right that a hero is in the 'eye of the beholder' meaning even villains can be someone's hero.

Just like someone who thinks they are a patriot but wants to enslave others, or a rebel that's wants genocide, or a hero that fights for pro slavery, a hero I refer to as being one has to uphold integrity and morality. And who am I to say what that is? Exactly

My point is, I think that siding with a criminal in a game shows that being a criminal doesn't mean they are automatically cut off from having the capacity in heroism. Would it forgive the things a criminal does if he does something heroic? Probably not, but you have to weigh it in at least. But if a criminal could still have potential heroism in them, then someone upholding the law could pervert heroism. I guess we really don't know until a situation arises that clearly divides us into being either a coward, hero, or villain. Those three characteristics are probably in all of us interchangeably depending on what situation we find ourselves in. But a villain in attack mode is way more obvious. 

Choices you make in the game could also define your character a little more too. I remember in True Crime Streets of LA you are a cop that chooses whether to be a good cop or bad cop. Lines are easily crossed. Referring to The Walking Dead again, one of the characters was on his way to prison for murder when it all happened, and he became such a lovable character. So our human nature can turn, whatever direction that is. I guess nothing is set in stone. But when we need some good, heroes will rise. I won't judge if they happen to be a criminal. 

[Heatman]

On 12/25/2020 at 4:33 PM, The Blackangel said:

I don't think games really grasp it, as they're a narrative of another time and/or place. If you want to know how worthless humans and human nature are, all you have to do is look out your front door.

Haha, that's actually quite harsh but it's the pure truth. Games are kind of make up of something to play for fun, even with ones with open world set up, it's just a single player's point of view.