You’ve Been Practicing Ethics Through Fiction

No one's favorite character is the guy who never makes a mistake. Take Metro Man from Megamind, he seems like the perfect superhero destined to save the day. Yet we find ourselves rooting for Megamind instead, the supposed villain whose origin story reveals the injustice of a baby crash-landing in a prison and growing up behind bars. When Metro Man later confesses he's been wrestling with an existential crisis about his purpose, we finally see past his flawless exterior. Flaws, not perfection, are what make characters unforgettable.

Studies in moral psychology suggest that literary fiction increases our ability to understand others’ intentions and perspectives- that it expands how we understand others' perspectives and intentions. Literary fiction, in particular, asks readers to navigate multiple viewpoints and decode subtle motives, a mental workout that strengthens our ability to weigh intentions, consider context, and evaluate consequences.

The Difference Between Characters in Stories vs. Real Life

Here's why fiction is necessary. It gives us something real life rarely does: access. In fiction, we see the doubts someone has before they betray someone. We understand the worst decisions they made came from childhood trauma or pressure, rather than using that one decision to define their whole character.

Real life is different. In real life, we rarely get the luxury of context. We encounter people mid-story, with all this unseen background that makes it easy to assume their decisions purely come from selfishness or a horrible upbringing, rather than insecurity, grief, or pressure.

Why We Enjoy Morally Gray Characters 

Squid Game, the K-drama that closed out 2025 as the most-watched original series in streaming history, is packed with morally complex characters whose flaws are impossible to ignore: greed, desperation, pride, gambling addictions, people willing to sacrifice others for a bigger prize. Online discussions exploded with debates about the moral choices characters made to survive. Should Gi-hun trust someone he barely knows? Is Sang-woo's betrayal justified? Watching flawed characters navigate impossible dilemmas forces us to run our own ethical calculations, weighing intention against context and consequence.

This same reasoning carries over into real life. When we take time to understand someone's full character, we learn to extend empathy, think more critically, and better evaluate the moral dimensions of the people around us.

Background Does Matter

Characters, whether fictional or real, don't make choices in a vacuum. Their decisions emerge from a web of upbringing, experiences, relationships, and circumstances. When we see someone's whole character, we develop the understanding needed to judge them more fairly. Your coworker who missed a deadline might be managing a personal crisis or working a second job to support their family. The friend who suddenly canceled plans could be dealing with stress, illness, or family obligations we know nothing about.

Fiction trains us to empathize by revealing these backgrounds. We can then apply that lens in real life, imagining what others might be going through even when their struggles remain invisible to us.

If you drive, you know what it's like to be heading home after a long day, exhausted and stuck in slow traffic, only for someone to cut you off. Your first reaction? Irritation. How did this fool get their license? That judgment forms instantly, without context. You don't know if they're rushing to an emergency, reeling from bad news, or simply a terrible driver. You just don't know.

But fiction prepares us to pause and consider those possibilities, the unseen background shaping their actions. When you do, your anger often softens. Not because what they did was okay, but because your understanding has deepened.

Does Fiction Actually Change the Way We See People?

Fiction doesn't give us every answer, and it doesn't make us perfect judges of character. But it gives us the chance to practice observing flaws and complex characters, and the context that shapes their perspective on life, whether that's applied to fictional worlds or real life.

Beyond judging others, fiction gives us a chance to self-reflect. When we see characters wrestle with moral decisions, we put ourselves in their shoes and ask if we would make the same choices. Over time, fiction changes the way we see ourselves and others, which sharpens our judgment and empathy in every part of human life.

Every novel, series, or film becomes a rehearsal space for the moral judgments we make in real life.