I'm Sorry!

Chris Brown and Rihanna together some hours prior to the assault
Source: E! Online

So recently in class, we were discussing character in conjunction with ethos. I've always heard the word "character" thrown around here and there but after our discussion (and the textbook reading), I figured I would look the word up just to be certain that I knew it's meaning. According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, character is defined as, "the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual; the distinctive nature of something; the quality of being individual, typically in an interesting or unusual way; strength and originality in a person’s nature; a person’s good reputation." I find that often times, a person’s character is largely shaped by the people they choose to surround themselves with and those who they allow to influence them. However, when a person makes a mistake in life, this is when their character is truly questioned. I think overall, there is a serious “gray area” when it comes to mistakes because there is such a broad range in the seriousness of a mistake. Yet, depending on a circumstances, some mistakes can really alter the perception others have of your character. A prime example of someone who suffered serious consequences in the wake of a major mistake was R&B singer Chris Brown.

Rihanna's battered face after the incident
Source: TMZ

Back in 2009, Chris Brown assaulted then girlfriend, R&B singer Rihanna while the two were in a car in Los Angeles, California. Rihanna later released a photograph revealing the physical injuries she endured as a result of the assault, which further sparked public backlash towards Brown. He lost commercial deals, some radio stations refused to play his music and some networks would not air his music videos. The squeaky clean image and reputation Brown once had was gone in an instant. Some months after the incident, Brown recorded a public apology. Although the apology was staged and scripted at best, I believe this incident is a prime example of how someone’s character can be severely tarnished. Today, while many seem to have forgotten about the incident with Brown and Rihanna, some refuse to forgive Brown for what he did. No matter how many public apologies he issues or how much effort he puts into repairing his image, for most, the damage is already done; there is no repairing his tarnished reputation. While, on the one hand, I find it rather shocking that one mistake can result in people having a permanently altered perception of one’s character, I also understand why. Ultimately, Chris Brown knows right from wrong and he definitely knows that assaulting anyone, especially a woman, is wrong on so many levels.

Do you think it’s fair that some people are never given a second chance? Couldn’t one argue that a mistake is a mistake, regardless of its severity, so if we can forgive someone for cheating on a test, for example, we should also be able to forgive that person for cheating on their wife?