How bad a thing can a good person do?

[RepresentingWrath]

Yes. Yes. Yes.

 

[PrinceyLeggles]

Would that be going too far? Could a character still be good after that? Or could readers accept she's good, but even a good person has their limits?

I think that actually makes the character seem a little more real. Though the average person doesn't commit murder. It makes that character seem less like a perfect goddess- or something.
But it would make the story more interesting, as I think she could still be accepted as a good person, and this could be an opening for a change in her characterization,

 

[Cipiteca396]

Oh, this is totally the hill I want to die on.

Your hill is "I'm right, and everyone else is wrong, no matter what they say."

And of course I'll judge these real people because I actually have an extensive set of understanding of the situation and there are not too many variables that have not been accounted for, unlike for the fictional character.

You literally know nothing about the people you're insulting. You are 100% guilty of the thing that you are calling them out for; and your attempt to justify it is to just assume you're smarter than them?

It doesn't matter if you're right or wrong, because nobody will take you seriously as long as you refuse to take them seriously.

---

Aside from the insults and misdirected ire, I think your opinion is valid. Gathering more knowledge is the first rule of justice. There's no flaw in that statement. It's everything else that's causing you problems.

 

[Prince_Azmiran_Myrian]

I do not have all the information in front of me. I have already laid out quite a bit of missing information in my earlier comments, and I have refused to judge them because that is how I would apply it to a real-world situation.
However, I will reiterate what is missing:
1. What is the extent of his actions? We know that he ran a cult and brainwashed children into soldiers... what did the cult do? Were they cannibals? Blood sacrifices? Deposition of the local power structure for a bit? Did he take sexual advantage while head of said cult like most? Were the children forced to slaughter and under the rules of society, is he a serial killer or committer of genocide by proxy? And more.

The severity of the victim's past crimes shouldn't hold any sway on whether what heroine did was good or bad. Especially since he is currently reformed. It would be a little different if they were still doing it though.

2. She meets a man from her past and snaps. How are they connected? Is she a victim? It paints a certain picture, no? If she is a victim, then she could be so freakin' traumatized that society would give her a pass, legally, because of PTSD or something similar. Mental health allowance, while not necessarily common in medieval times, is an important rule now. We don't know the state of her mental health.

People who go around murdering should be locked up. Their trauma is not a justification.

3. Nor do we understand the legal implications of his crimes, and what level of vigilantism is permitted in this society.

I'm willing to judge a society. If this is acceptable conduct without consequences it's an evil society. Same if the victim's crimes are considered acceptable.

4. And, if none of this was enough, we don't even know what her connections are to the government. What if it's her job? She could be an enforcer or a member of a ruling religion, and thus in charge of dealing out justice.

If that's how the organization operates, i feel confident in saying that is an evil organization

Are you starting to see just how little is actually evident? How many possibilities and qualifiers could be the case?

No. There is enough evidence to judge whether what she did was good or bad. We know she did it. We know victim was no longer doing it. Hate is the driving force here.

What you are looking for is whether you like or dislike the heroines actions.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

The severity of the victim's past crimes shouldn't hold any sway on whether what heroine did was good or bad. Especially since he is currently reformed. It would be a little different if they were still doing it though.

People who go around murdering should be locked up. Their trauma is not a justification.

I'm willing to judge a society. If this is acceptable conduct without consequences it's an evil society. Same if the victim's crimes are considered acceptable.

If that's how the organization operates, i feel confident in saying that is an evil organization

No. There is enough evidence to judge whether what she did was good or bad. We know she did it. We know victim was no longer doing it. Hate is the driving force here.

What you are looking for is whether you like or dislike the heroines actions.

Well, I appreciate that you have now considered all possibilities, even if your responses to them all is so black and white as to make me sick, with numerous contradictions. That's outside of the purview of my argument though, and I don't intend to get into a debate on philosophy and evil (in contrast to the debate I was starting about thoughtlessness).

 

[Deleted member 84247]

Well, I appreciate that you have now considered all possibilities, even if your responses to them all is so black and white as to make me sick, with numerous contradictions. That's outside of the purview of my argument though, and I don't intend to get into a debate on philosophy and evil (in contrast to the debate I was starting about thoughtlessness).

I think it is fine for someone to have black and white morality. Even if I don't subscribe to their train of thought. If someone has black and white morality, then judging the character without more context is reasonable. I wouldn't call that a thoughtless judgment (They have already thought of those things before).

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

I think it is fine for someone to have black and white morality. Even if I don't subscribe to their train of thought. If someone has black and white morality, then judging the character without more context is reasonable. I wouldn't call that a thoughtless judgment (They have already thought of those things before).

I thought I covered that, and inferred that I would not call it a thoughtless judgement in responding to Prince's comments. But I may not have been explicit enough, so it became hidden. Edit: That's on me.

 

[Prince_Azmiran_Myrian]

Well, I appreciate that you have now considered all possibilities, even if your responses to them all is so black and white as to make me sick, with numerous contradictions. That's outside of the purview of my argument though, and I don't intend to get into a debate on philosophy and evil (in contrast to the debate I was starting about thoughtlessness).

?????️
Fear me ?

 

[Deleted member 84247]

?????️
Fear me ?

Very scary dragon

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

?????️
Fear me ?

Absolutely terrified!

 

[LowinKeshin]

If people are arguing about whether your character is bad or good, you did a great job as an author.

 

[ArrogantYoungMaster]

What happened to this thread wtf ?

 

[Cipiteca396]

What happened to this thread wtf ?

@WelcomeToSH

 

[Spactacular]

I was thinking of having my characters engage in a little bit of detour where one of the heroines, who has been kind and loving until that point, meets a man from her past. He has a family and seems like a nice person but beforehand he'd done some nasty things (ran a cult, brainwashed children into being soldiers) which has haunted her. So she murders him. She doesn't care whether he's a different person now (in fact, I'd present him as reformed but she simply doesn't believe it). Nor does she have any concern for what this may do to his family. She just feels the bastard evaded justice and takes it upon herself to correct matters.

Would that be going too far? Could a character still be good after that? Or could readers accept she's good, but even a good person has their limits?

This brings into question morality and its grey side. and to be honest, as a writer I relish these kinds of situations since it allows us to delve into the complexities and further develop a character. I would say that you should look at the characters bottom line and weigh the past, present, and the extent of the feelings that person holds. from there you can determine if it is crossing the line for the char or not.

That said, in my opinion, go get em XD