What happens when someone’s is denounced publicly? Well, their reputation is damaged in many circles, but not in all of them. Indeed, some people will actually be moved to feel sorry for the subject and thus, in their eyes, the person’s reputation will actually improve in a way.
Remember the old marketing adage that there’s no such thing as bad publicity? Well, there’s some truth to this.
You see, there will always be people who will sympathize with or just plain admire someone who does something beyond the pale. Think: the proverbial good girl who has a thing for bad boys or Charlie Sheen who probably has just as many people who care about him as those who wish his career would end permanently.
Yes, even after a very public humiliation or excoriation, no matter how apparently justifiable, a subset of people out there will always like them (often more than before the incident in question takes place). The key in such situations is to find out who these subsequent supporters are, build one’s reputation among them, and not worry too much, if at all, about the detractors. So don’t be afraid to damage your reputation in some circles if it only means that you endear yourself to a whole other group who will become your supporters.
Fortune favors the bold after all; so, don’t be afraid of a little controversy. You may damage your reputation in some circles yet simultaneously bolster it in others. Know that if you try to sit on two chairs, you’re liable just to fall between them and that vanilla and beige, while surely inoffensive, are generally boring and forgettable.
So, though many may not approve, it’s often better to be noticed.