Elia Kazan...Genius or Lowlife?

[EdZachary]

Originally posted by Elspode
Should we separate a person's talents from his ethics, or are we forever the prisoners of our misdeeds and poor judgements?

Until I thought about this I tended to ‘separate the art from the artist’, aware that the public persona may have no resemblance to the genuine nature of the individual. But even though on some level I can respect an individual’s talent and his integrity separately, I ultimately form an impression of the whole being.

Are we prisoner's?
I think it comes down to a balancing act between the magnitude of one’s misdeeds and what one does to make restitution versus the level of appreciation we derive from that person’s skill.