If a person who had a reputation for doing bad does something good, then people say he has changed his ways. He is not the same evil person anymore. He has learned and reached a higher level of human compassion. People begin to trust him.

If a person who had a reputation for doing good does something bad, then people say he has fallen from grace. He becomes the worst possible person ever. He has broken everyone's trust and can never re-establish himself as the pure soul again.

Based on that, why work so hard in life to be a good person if one little mistake will scar you for the rest of your life. Why not become the man in the first example and show everyone that you have changed. Live a life of sin and betrayal (possible having more fun in the process), and then when you've had your share, turn your life around.

Obviously my example is not perfect. There will still be those, friends, family, and loved ones who will still always trust the man who did bad. They will forgive him and know in their hearts the pureness of his spirit. Same goes for the bad guy. There will always be those who will never trust him, for personal reasons or otherwise. But on the whole, both individuals can change the way the general populace looks at them.

It's kind of depressing that one event could change a person's life. It's truly sad to realize that a perfect man could be destroyed by one little choice. It's even sadder to realize that as a society, we let those who have led a life of wrongdoing back into our hearts.

I'm not saying we shouldn't forgive those people for what they've done. I'm not saying that we should shun them or treat them distastefully for their pasts. I'm just saying we should remember and keep the proper mindset. We must seperate those people from the ones who really deserve recognition and respect.

Or else... there's no point in being absolutely kind and good hearted.