Horns or Halos: The grey areas of character?

Question

People are complicated, right? They're not all good or all bad. They have good and bad qualities. I can think of an example in literature.

In Tolstoy's War and Peace, there is a golden-hearted, hapless main character named Pierre. Pierre is pressed into marrying a society woman, Helena Kuragin, against his better judgment.

Soon, she begins to cheat. The guy she cheats with seems to be a scoundrel. He is a wanton philanderer, disrupting families like it's a sport. Then, mocking Pierre after his conquest, which leads to a duel.

Anyway, it ends up this guy that seemed to be without merit actually had a very caring side. He doted on his mother and his sisters, providing for them, looking after them.

Maybe A. Jolie is a modern day example. There she is wrecking families and appearing to relish it. Then, she goes to Africa and adopts and does good stuff.

How do you net it out, personally, to decide if someone who intrigues you is horns or halos?

Elphaba -- what made you so wicked? You're like Lisa Bonet in Angel Heart.

Answer 1

Most people generally tip in one direction and it's not hard to tell at all.

The problem is a lot of people play games and it seems hard to tell, but if they play games, that right there should SPEAK VOLUMES.

Go for someone that wears their character upfront because often that's what they are.

Dont even DARE compare Angelina Jolie...celebrities are whacko and you should by no means base your life on them as examples...she's just trying to REDEEM her personal self by trying to do good....people have their own demons to overcome. They just take what they want and don't care about who they hurt. Their worlds are so small really that they just snatch what they can when they see something they want.

She'll get bored of Brad too and move on. Why doesn't she have her own kids? Doesn't want to ruin that body that makes her millions. The do good stuff makes her feel good to do...you can't see a world destroyed and not feel compassion for the people who live there, and eventually you want your life to mean something too.

She came from a pretty messed up place but it's nice to think as people age, they come to understand that life isn't just about them and their immediate world and that people are all connected.

You have to decide if you want to stand by someone who has a "long way to go" on that journey and if they will end up in a good place or bad and if you want to go along for the ride and if you even have a place in it. Why choose someone with all that baggage to sort? Often they never change their ways deep down.

Answer 2

I think that we as human beings carry that burden inside all of us.The horns and the halos.Human nature.Besides,Hollywood is full of home wreckers.Life is faster,celebrities are worshiped and are put up on a pedestal they feel that the rules don't apply to them.I feel that Angelina has come a long way she has matured so much.Having children has given her a purpose in life.Only time will tell whats next--Horns or Halos.That's life....You have character take it as a compliment.Take care.

Answer 3

What a fascinating question to ponder. Perhaps that is half the fun in getting to know a person. Maybe it is not up to us to decide? The personalities of human beings are multi-faceted and complex. To see a person as either good or bad would be presumptuous. Trying to weigh these traits against each other would be futile.

Answer 4

There's always redemption...her behavior (charity work, UNICEF, etc.) could be a way of atoning for regrettable actions/behavior. God says you're either "hot or cold", no in between...

I usually write people off my list who've done me wrong. The good they do elsewhere doesn't matter.

Answer 5

All people are bad. ALL OF THEM. If they aren't bullies, they are cowards.