Yeah, they are totally anti-social.  Even if you don’t do half the awful things you could do, the bottom line is you’re still playing a complete thug.  Why would anyone enjoy this? I ask the same question about some types of movies, so one ought to be able to answer the question oneself.  My answers:

1. Part of playing a game is to be something you are not, in real life. Driving like a maniac and aggroing the police is not my normal day. My normal day involves editing people’s writing, or thinking of ways to market my editing of people’s writing.
2. The radio soundtracks alone are hilarious, especially the talk radio parodies.
3. You do accomplish a lot of things that don’t have to be destructive, such as races, stunt jumps, ambulance driving, taxi driving and firefighting.
4. It blows off a little of life’s steam in a safe environment.

Yeah, it would probably be more holistic and cosmopolitan of me to start a botanical herb garden, or serve biscuits and gravy at a shelter, or go do yoga.  But since I won’t, there’s always this.