Freebooter

 The only pirates I know are either from books or movies and my most favourite is Captain Jacksparrow. Jacksparrow is a deviant; a weirdo. But we still like him. Don't we?

When we come across deviants or weirdos ( I'd like to view them as non - conformists) in fictional work we tend to like them. Sometimes we adore them. I know I do. My favourites are the psychopaths. (Ted Bundy used to be at the top of my list.) Many of us tend to have some unexplained attraction towards them. 

Yet, when we come across a lawless scoundrel in real life our response is not the same. (We sending them to the parliament is completely a different story, I guess). We are reluctant to pardon them.  Ahinsaka turned Angulimala, later attaining Nibbana is only in Buddha's time. Here and now, a murder will always be labelled as a murderer. Once a thief will always be a thief. As a community, we don't believe in rehabilitation. 

What makes this difference? How can we look for causes to say a wrongdoer had reasons for their wrongdoings when they are distant and not any of our business, and not able to do the same with someone known or connected to us. It remains a mystery.