People perceptions

People are perceived by others and themselves in many ways, but basically there are two dominant ways. People are seen as either being good or bad. There is a scale in the middle which usually tilts more to one side than to the other. Often the reality is that the good guy isn't that good and the bad one isn't that bad. People go through many phases during their lifetime, so if you want a fair and accurate assessment, it's probably best to wait until an older age. Of course, the foregoing isn't necessary when dealing with folks like Charles Manson or Hitler. I am not a sociologist, but we all live and learn.