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In a recent interview with Bored Panda, the OP shared that it was their interest in history that encouraged them to ask this particular question. “I was reading and studying a lot on Julius Caesar and a lot of historians and history buffs consider him a great figure of history. However, to the Gauls, which is now modern France, he would be considered a monster as he killed or enslaved 1 million of them in his conquest of Gaul.”
In addition to revealing what made them think about people who are praised by some, but despised by others, the redditor also admitted being very surprised by the amount of netizens who engaged in the thread.
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“I think Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great come to mind when thinking of an ancient figure, as they were the reasons for many deaths and enslavement of their time,” the OP pointed out, providing names for who they think are considered great but are actually monsters.
“But I also think you have to look at it in the perspective of the time and in those times would he have been considered great, or a monster. I think the longer you go back in time and look at these historical figures, the more you see their greatness as opposed to their negatives,” they added.
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Talking about liking certain people, especially on a superficial level, Prof. Christopher J. Ferguson pointed out that we generally judge people by how they present themselves and, ultimately, how charming they are (which might not work with historical figures, as they can’t alter the way they present themselves anymore). And for the most part, that seems to work out fine, as—although we all engage in some "positive image management"—most people's outward personalities are reasonably representative of who they are.
However, according to the expert, some folks learn to game that system and purposefully present themselves in ways that will be attractive to others that don't necessarily represent who they truly are. “This may include insincere flattery, learning to be interesting and ‘cool’ or presenting oneself as a moral crusader,” he said.
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I’m in favour of allowing grace for those who have mended their ways, but this individual has not stopped hurting and endangering people, almost exclusively women and the fact he’s still seen as a sought after artist is confusing to me.
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“In recent years, as victimhood has gained currency, presenting oneself as a ‘victim’ may also be a viable strategy for some [people],” Prof. Ferguson continued. “Such people may present leadership qualities without having the internal substance to back them up and their true purpose is less to guide others towards doing something useful as opposed to lining their own pockets.“
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And that wasn't hyperbole, two of Picasso's partners suffered nervous breakdowns due to his emotional abuse. Worse yet his lover Marie-Thèrése Walter and his second wife Jacqueline Roque were driven to [self-harm].
Whether a person tends to focus more on the negative or the positive aspects of someone else’s personality or behavior depends a lot on the context, Prof. Ferguson said; on whether or not the person is primed to be open-minded or suspicious in a particular context.
“For instance, a door-to-door salesperson might prime suspiciousness in a lot of people,” he pointed out. “But, particularly for Americans, our culture is to assume positives of those we meet in casual, non-threatening situations (which may differ from some European cultures).
“Thus we may give people we meet the ‘benefit of the doubt’ and be more easily taken in by charm,” the professor continued, adding that once attitudes form, they can be resistant to change so people may be hesitant to believe the worst of someone they just formed a positive opinion of.
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In an interview with Bored Panda, another psychology expert, Dr. David Ludden, seconded the idea that shaking a first impression is difficult. “People quickly size up a person they've just met and decide on a quick, intuitive level that this new acquaintance is either good or bad. Once that assessment has been made, people interpret new information about that person in a way that is consistent with their first impression. It can be really hard to change someone's opinion about you after your first meeting with them. That's why first impressions are so important.”
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According to Prof. Ferguson, it's important to remember that most people will actively try to hide their negative traits. “That's normal, and nothing to panic about,” he said. “But I suppose the main thing—when being drawn entirely into a person's orbit or worldview—is whether or not there is any possibility that they're profiting from some degree of insincerity and is it making us prone to ignoring some information that should throw up some red flags. There [has to be] a careful balance between being naive and overly suspicious.”