Social Mobility and the American Dream in GTA: San Andreas

Pitirim A. Sorokin defines social mobility as the process through which individuals or groups change their social status or position within a society (1959). This movement can be either vertical, or horizontal. Sorokin's definition of social mobility emphasizes the dynamic nature of social positions and the potential for individuals and groups to change their societal standing over time. Some prominent factors that influence social mobility are said to be education, occupational opportunities, economic conditions, cultural factors, and social policies.

Vertical social mobility involves changes in social status that result in upward or downward movement within a given social hierarchy. For example, an individual from a lower social class who gains a higher level of education, secures a better job, and improves their income and living standards is experiencing upward vertical social mobility. Conversely, an individual who experiences a decline in socio-economic status may undergo downward vertical social mobility.

Horizontal social mobility, on the other hand, refers to the movement between positions of similar social status. It involves changing roles or occupations without necessarily changing one's overall social standing. For instance, a person who switches careers from being a lawyer to becoming a professor without a significant change in income or social prestige is said to be experiencing horizontal social mobility.

One of the most commonly cited examples of vertical upward social mobility in the capitalist zeitgeist is that of the American Dream, which encapsulates the collective aspiration for social and economic advancement, reflecting the cultural values and narratives surrounding the promise of a better life through individual achievement. Central to the American Dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of their background, can achieve success in the United States. Thus, with media depictions of ‘rags-to-riches’ stories abound, we take a look at one of such stories, dramatized in the popular game, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (now onwards GTA: SA or simply San Andreas).

GTA: SA, set in the fictional state of San Andreas, offers a rich sociological exploration of ethnicity, race, cultural relations, urban segregation, power dynamics, social mobility, immigration, and the pursuit of the American Dream through the narrative of the protagonist, Carl "CJ" Johnson. Unlike the other games of this universe, GTA: SA features a black protagonist, CJ, a member of the Grove Street Families street gang, who returns home following his mother's death. The story follows his family and gang’s rise to power through CJ’s various missions in business, networking and entrepreneurship as well as violence, crime and racial-ethnic conflict. Notably, the two are heavily interlinked.

The game features references to many real-life elements of the world, such as its cities, regions, and landmarks, with its plot heavily based on several real-life events in Los Angeles in the early 1990s, including the Rampart scandal of the Los Angeles Police Department, which concerned various cases of police corruption in the Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums anti-gang unit at the end of the '90s. Another one involved a tumultuous manifestation, the 1992 Los Angeles riots, when a jury absolved Los Angeles police officers, three white and one Hispanic, accused of aggression against black driver Rodney King. Clearly, the game’s plot is set within the backgrounds of real and observable social facts, and thus serves as a subject of sociological scrutiny and analysis.

It must be noted that this analysis must be seen in critical light as a game and fictional representations of real events can only go so far in examining real social scenarios. However, by considering the game as an apologue, we can gain valuable insights into the broader cultural and social context in which the game was created and consumed, which will be the aim of this essay.

Analysis

Using the Status Attainment Model (Duncan & Blau, 1978), we can isolate some categories of factors that affect social mobility by taking CJ’s example. Then as a consequence we can highlight how the putative meanings of some categories where individuals are placed contribute to an individual's chances at mobility. The four categories are as follows.

1. Ascriptive characteristics: These are characteristics that are assigned to individuals at birth, such as race, gender, and social class. In CJ’s instance, he is born into a black American family of little material wealth.

2. Achieved characteristics: These are characteristics that individuals acquire through their own efforts, such as education, occupation, and income. Most of the story operates under this category of characteristics. 

3. Strains: These are factors that can impede an individual's ability to achieve their desired status, such as poverty, discrimination, and lack of opportunity. The structural disadvantages towards black Americans need not be repeated here. Prominent themes to be discussed here are that of police brutality, ethnic conflict and illegal business ventures, which will be taken up later.

4. Buffers: These are factors that can help an individual overcome strains and achieve their desired status, such as strong social networks, supportive family and friends, and good health. In San Andreas, CJ has a strong social support network, which allows him easier mobility upwards.

All of these categories are exogenous factors and are therefore of sociological relevance. This is not to say that they do not influence the endogenous factors affecting CJ’s decisions as well. However, for the purposes of this essay, the influence of endogenous factors must be downplayed, as the fictional lore and entertainment value of the game has its own narrative requirements, which if included will wrongly influence a study of real-world concepts.

San Andreas offers a range of occupational choices and opportunities for CJ. As he progresses through the game, he can engage in various activities, such as working in low-level jobs, participating in criminal activities, or even starting his own businesses. These occupational choices reflect the valorization of the apparently diverse pathways individuals can take to attain social status and economic success in modern day America.

Discussion

A major theme of research in the studies of social mobility has been the conflict between ascribed traits, and achieved traits. In the case of CJ, we can observe the same more clearly. There exists a distinct black American culture into which CJ was born, which in popular media is reflected as ‘criminal, violent and frequently partaking in illegal activities’. As far as this depiction is concerned, San Andreas fits into the mold neatly. 

In all other GTA games, the emphasis is on individual mobility, as the characters leave behind the crime families they were born in, and establish their own. In San Andreas, however, CJ is ousted from his home a third of the way into the game. And after spending more than half the game building up his social networks in other areas (geographically and socially), returns to his family in Grove Street to ‘settle old scores’. This is notable for a few reasons.

Firstly, this is reflective of a pattern where stronger fictive familial and kinship ties and stronger social intra-group solidarity emerge among ethnically marginalized groups. Sociologists have explored the concept of social capital, which refers to the resources embedded within social networks and social relationships, and its unequal distribution. Ethnically marginalized groups, facing social and economic disadvantages, often rely on strong familial and kinship ties as a means of support, resource sharing, and collective upwards mobility. These networks can serve as important sources of social, emotional, and sometimes financial support.

Secondly, in this context, a parallel to an alternative system of stratification can also be drawn. Though taken out of context, Ashis Nandy’s comment on the illegal avenues taken by lower castes reflects the recourse taken by many members of disadvantaged communities to become upwardly mobile (Bardhan, 2013). Taking advantage of social networks is an example of the same which CJ does to his benefit, further highlighting how structural inequalities can shape the strategies adopted by marginalized groups to overcome hurdles to mobility and navigate systems that favor the privileged.

Thirdly, an important conflict between ‘real’ mobility and perceived mobility can be understood through this example. Though CJ achieves much commercial and entrepreneurial success in the time that he was ousted from his family, he is forced to come back on account of his brothers’ release from his prison and the subsequent disappointment shown by his brother for ‘abandoning their family’. Apart from material wealth and success, CJ’s culture also perceives wealth in the form of social wealth, in qualitative terms of family honor, prestige and collective social success. 

This goes contrary to the ideal of an American dream and further emphasizes the idea that even the ideal of an American dream is constantly changing and evolving with different meanings for different groups. The traditional definition of success in material parameters may not be one which everyone subscribes to. Similarly, for social mobility to be meaningful, the hierarchy within which it takes place must be accepted by all. It is highly unlikely that those at the bottom of the hierarchy will accept the same. Each social group will have their own ideological view of said hierarchies. Thus, this begs the question of whether there are any truly closed stratification systems, though this is a subject for further research. 

Ethnicity, Conflict and Competition

San Andreas' cityscape vividly portrays urban segregation, with neighborhoods distinctly divided along ethnic lines. The game introduces us to various gangs that inhabit these segregated neighborhoods, such as the Grove Street Families, Ballas, and Vagos, among others. Each gang represents a specific ethnic or cultural group, further emphasizing the social divisions within the city. The rivalries and conflicts between these gangs not only reflect the challenges faced by marginalized communities, but they also illustrate the power dynamics, hierarchies, and struggles for control that often arise in such segregated environments.

Moreover, the gang conflicts themselves reflect the struggle for power, control, and economic resources within these neighborhoods. The gang violence in San Andreas is a direct result of these social divisions. Gangs provide a sense of community and belonging for young people who feel marginalized by larger society. They also offer a source of income and protection in neighborhoods where employment, law enforcement and adequate opportunities are often absent. Furthermore, the rivalry between gangs is often rooted in competition for resources, such as drugs, territory, and women, but more notably in the psychological perceptions that the gang has on behalf of its culture. Thus, their definition of social mobility is not just dependent on material factors, but on putative perceptions of power and freedom, both tenets of the American dream (Parshina et al., 2021, 176-179).

The characters' involvement in these conflicts represents their attempt to carve out a space for themselves and their communities in an environment where traditional avenues of social mobility may be closed off. By engaging in these conflicts, characters like CJ navigate a complex web of social dynamics, challenging existing power hierarchies, and seeking opportunities for upward mobility within their respective communities.

As CJ explores these areas, he witnesses firsthand the glaring disparities in living conditions, economic opportunities, and access to resources. The game effectively underscores how such segregation hampers social mobility and the realization of the American Dream for marginalized communities. Additionally, the portrayal of immigration in GTA San Andreas provides insight into the challenging experiences, aspirations, and barriers encountered by immigrants as they strive for improved socio-economic conditions. CJ has to navigate through unfamiliar territories, learn new customs, and interact with people from different social and cultural backgrounds. This aspect of the game sheds light on the cultural clashes, identity challenges, and the process of assimilation that many immigrants chasing the American dream feel in real life.

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Moreover, the portrayal of police brutality in GTA San Andreas invites critical reflection on the normalization of violence within marginalized communities. While CJ himself faces violence from both within and outside his community, it is important to consider the broader social and historical factors that contribute to the perpetuation of violence, especially at the hands of another black officer, normalizing the cultural logic of black Americans and their association with violence and crime, regardless of their institutional position.

Conclusion

An analysis of perceived social mobility in GTA: San Andreas is able to uncover the intricate interplay between individual aspirations and the hidden workings of power within societal institutions. Social hierarchy is not merely a product of domination, but also of the complicity of those who submit to it. This influences perceptions as well as ‘real’ and tangible conditions of mobility. The game exposes the structural barriers and institutional inequalities that hinder upward mobility, shedding light on the pervasive influence of structures, social and cultural capital, and symbolic systems on individuals' life chances. By combining both the structuralist and the symbolic (interactionist) systems of power relations, this analysis prompts a critical examination of the mechanisms that perpetuate social hierarchies and underscores the need for transformative changes to create a more equitable society.

References

Bardhan, P. (2013). Casteism and Corruption: Beyond Political Correctness. Mint.

Duncan, O. D., & Blau, P. M. (1978). The American occupational structure. Free Press.

Keister, L. A., & Southgate, D. E. (2012). Inequality: A Contemporary Approach to Race, Class, and Gender. Cambridge University Press.

Parshina, N. D., Menshikov, P. V., Shobotenko, A. V., & Zhong-yuan, L. (2021). American Dream as a Key Factor of Social Mobility in the USA. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 554, 176-179.

Sorokin, P. A. (1959). Social and Cultural Mobility. Free Press.