The truly fascinating stories (that reflect life, I believe) are the ones where the villains can be used to propagate good, and where heroes become villainous despite their best intentions. To transcend the trap of simplistic dogma, I try to apply the standard of [effectiveness bounded by ethics] to each individual circumstance.
I am open to working with villains and condemning heroes, and I will give each a chance to serve the greater good…depending on how they choose to act in the moment, and if they choose to rise to the occasion.
Dirty Sci-Fi Buddha 
“the greater good”, Kent, is in the eye of the beholder, lions eat their prey, we are destroying our planet – and what about, incidentally, closing borders – cheers, R ! chard
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To appraise the benefit to the collective (the greater good), I believe it’s necessary to clearly outline intent, the strategy that serves that intent, and the tactics that serve that strategy. This is where it is necessary to delve into nuance and take things case by case, context by context, and continually maintain vigilance as to what results are garnered by what actions, so that one may adjust strategy and tactics to continue serving the intent. Lions eat their prey—intent is to propagate harmony according to evolutionary principles, strategy is violence, I’m okay with that. Destroying our planet (I think in a cosmic sense, we’re really not, as the “long-lasting” harm we do to our planet will be rendered moot with the passage of cosmic events, nuclear interactions, and universal entropy): intent is to cater to our material needs, strategy is to disregard the balances that have evolved over billions of years, which results in a short-term (in the cosmic sense) threat to humans, wildlife, and ecosystem. I don’t think that’s wise, and is more a reflection of our own stupidity than some kind of existential morality play. Closing borders—intent is to enforce legalities surrounding immigration, strategy is to use physical enforcement. I think that strategy is stupid. Physical enforcement, in my opinion, should be used when there is a clear, imminent threat. So that’s how I break those problems down.
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A good villain makes the hero. A complex villain overshadows a simple hero. Nobody ever does Camelot from Mordred’s point of view. I wish they would.
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Star wars clone wars shows how the choice to become darth vader was actually altruistic. Amazing story arc. 🙂
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