On the definition of a 'good person': When Lau Kin Ming says 'I want to be a good person,' is it sincere repentance or self-deception to gain that identity? Can a 'bad person' truly become 'good' by doing good deeds?

Introduction

The line "I want to be a good person" spoken by Lau Kin Ming in Infernal Affairs stands as one of the most intense dialogues in the film and even in the history of Chinese-language cinema. It raises questions not only about the character's fate but also about the very concept of a "good person":

1. Is he genuinely repentant or merely deceiving himself?
2. Can someone who has long engaged in evil truly become a "good person" through a few good deeds?

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I. Context and Motivation Analysis of Lau Kin Ming's "I Want to Be a Good Person"

Conclusion: Lau Kin Ming's motivations are complex, blending self-preservation with fleeting moral awakening. Assessing sincerity requires examining "motivation-behavior-consistency."

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II. Genuine Repentance or Self-Deception? — Four Criteria

1. Purity of Motivation

   • Kantian view: Only actions driven by reverence for "moral law" qualify as moral.
   • Lau's pursuit of "goodness" carries strong utilitarian considerations (escaping triad ties). Motives are mixed.

2. Concrete Actions

   • Genuine repentance demands costly actions: confession, compensating victims, accepting legal punishment.
   • In the film, he deletes Chan Wing Yan's file, kills a witness, and frames others. He continues evil acts to protect his identity.

3. Consistency and Duration

   • Virtue ethics emphasizes that character is forged through sustained, consistent behavior.
   • Lau is shot dead immediately after being exposed by Tony Leung's character, leaving no long-term trajectory of reform.

4. Depth of Self-Reflection

   • True repentance requires full acknowledgment of past wrongs.
   • Lau evades responsibility, telling Han Chen "Don’t contact me again," still distancing himself from his crimes.

Synthesizing these dimensions: Lau Kin Ming’s repentance resembles "self-deceptive atonement" — using "I want to be a good person" to mask his crimes and identity crisis.

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III. Can an "Evil Person" Become "Good" Through Good Deeds? — Philosophical Perspectives

1. Consequentialism (Utilitarianism)

   • Goodness is measured by net happiness/pain caused.
   • An "evil person" increasing overall happiness may be "morally valuable" but not necessarily "good," as character may remain unchanged.

2. Deontology (Kant)

   • Motivation must be "duty-bound."
   • Good deeds for personal gain or evasion lack moral value; the actor remains "not good."

3. Virtue Ethics (Aristotle)

   • A "good person" possesses virtuous character, demonstrated through habitual, stable practice.
   • Isolated good acts cannot reshape virtue; long-term self-correction and social recognition are required.

4. Existentialism (Sartre)

   • Humans are defined by choices: "existence precedes essence."
   • "Evil" is not predetermined; key lies in fully owning the consequences of one’s choices.

Synthesis: Transformation from evil to good is possible, but requires:

• Sincere reflection and acknowledgment of wrongdoing
• Paying reparations and accepting consequences
• Cultivating new virtues through sustained practice

Scattered "good deeds" or verbal declarations alone cannot achieve identity transformation.

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IV. Could Lau Kin Ming Become a "Good Person"? A Hypothetical Answer

For Lau Kin Ming to truly transition from evil to good, he would need to:

1. Publicly confess all crimes and accept legal punishment
2. Compensate victims' families
3. Resign from the police force and rebuild his life through long-term public service or reparative actions to restore social trust
4. Accept and coexist with the label "former evildoer" rather than erase history

The film shows none of these steps, ending abruptly with his death — implying he never truly achieved "goodness."

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Conclusion

• Lau Kin Ming’s "I want to be a good person" functions more as "self-consolation" or "strategic expression" amid identity crisis and moral shock, lacking genuine sincerity.
• Moral philosophy broadly agrees:

1. Goodness depends not only on outcomes but also on motivation, virtue, and consistency.
2. Evil can be redeemed, but requires sincere accountability and sustained good deeds — one cannot "offset a thousand evils with one good deed."

Thus, an "evil person" cannot become "good" through isolated acts or slogans; true transformation is a long, painful process demanding external accountability.

On the Definition of "Good Person": When Lau Kin Ming says "I want to be a good person," is this sincere repentance or self-deception to secure his identity? Can a "bad person" become "good" by doing good deeds?

Lau Kin Ming's line "I want to be a good person" in Infernal Affairs represents one of the film's core conflicts and a profound interrogation of human nature, morality, and identity. Answering this requires analysis across multiple dimensions.

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I. Interpretation of Lau Kin Ming's "I want to be a good person"

This statement reveals both a degree of sincerity and an inescapable layer of self-deception and utilitarianism.

1. Sincere Repentance and Longing?

• Weariness and Fear of Current Identity: As a gangster embedded in the police force, Lau lives perpetually in lies and disguise, enduring immense psychological strain. Witnessing Chan Wing Yan's tragedy and knowing exposure could come at any moment, he desperately seeks escape from this "hell of incessant suffering." His desire to be "good" stems partly from wanting to shed the danger and pain of his "bad" identity.
• Yearning for a Normal Life: He craves a legitimate identity, stable career, and ordinary relationships (like his marriage to Mary). This longing for "normalcy" can be seen, to some extent, as a pursuit of "good."
• Residual Moral Sense: Despite his crimes, his role as a police officer may have preserved an underlying awareness of justice and order. When an opportunity for "redemption" arises, this residual morality drives him to seize it and attempt a return to the "right path."

2. Self-Deception and Identity Swap?

• Utilitarian Motivation: Lau's declaration resembles a strategic "identity swap" for survival and advancement. Killing Uncle Choi eliminates the sole witness, severing his gang ties to cement his "good cop" persona. This "good deed" serves self-interest and safety, not pure moral awakening.
• Instrumental View of "Good Person": For Lau, "good person" seems more a social label than an intrinsic moral quality. He attempts to gain societal validation as "good" through actions (killing Choi, trying to kill Chan to silence him), without grasping the integrity, selflessness, or sacrifice it entails.
• Inescapable "Bad" Nature: Despite playing the "good" role, his core traits—selfishness, ruthlessness, and ends-justify-means logic—remain unchanged. To protect his new identity, he readily attempts to kill Chan and later murders investigating officers, proving he hasn't truly "become good." His declaration functions more as self-hypnosis and external camouflage.

Summary: Lau's "I want to be a good person" reflects a complex psychological struggle for self-redemption and identity reinvention in desperation. It mingles a longing for a righteous life with ruthless utilitarianism. Less a sincere confession, it's an intense craving for the "good person" label, driving self-deception and struggle at any cost. He wants to be good, but his actions and inner logic remain those of a "bad person."

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II. Can a "Bad Person" Become "Good" by Doing Good Deeds?

This question engages moral philosophy regarding actions, motives, and character. The answer: Doing good deeds is a necessary but not sufficient condition for a "bad person" to become "good."

1. The Dialectic of Action and Motive

• Goodness of Action: From a consequentialist view, if a "bad person's" action yields positive outcomes (e.g., a criminal accidentally saving someone while fleeing), the act itself is "good."
• Goodness of Motive: However, deontological or virtue ethics perspectives hold that moral value depends not just on outcomes, but on motive and character. If a "bad person" acts "good" for self-interest (e.g., redemption, evading punishment, gaining praise), the motive remains selfish or impure. Such acts alone cannot make them "good."

2. The Path to Becoming "Good"

Becoming truly "good" requires a complex, prolonged process:

• Sincere Repentance and Reflection: The "bad person" must deeply acknowledge past wrongs and feel genuine remorse—beyond words, to the core.
• Transformation of Motive: Shifting from self-interested action to action driven by altruism, justice, or compassion is key to transitioning from doing good to being good.
• Sustained Good Conduct: Good deeds must become habitual, a way of life, not sporadic or instrumental. Consistent moral behavior gradually shapes character.
• Accepting Responsibility and Making Amends: A genuine aspirant must take ownership of past harms and actively seek restitution—through legal consequences and moral compensation.
• Cultivation of Inner Character: Being "good" entails possessing virtues like integrity, kindness, courage, honesty, selflessness, and empathy—forged through persistent self-cultivation.

Conclusion: A "bad person" doing good deeds can be the first step toward becoming "good," marking the start of redemption. However, without pure motives or fundamental inner transformation, they merely act good without being good. True "goodness" requires unity of action, motive, and character—a sustained, internal transformation that manifests externally. Lau Kin Ming's flaw lies in stopping at acting good for personal gain, failing to achieve genuine inner transformation.