The past is but a mere collection of experiences that brings a man to his current place in life. It does not define a man, no matter how trivial or crucial the events may have been. It simply provides a handful of wisdom in which he faithfully consults to make future decisions in his endless search for growth. Yet, our society is based on pasts. We judge, scrutinize, define a man by what he has already done. One moment--one mistake--may completely tarnish our opinion of a mans character, overshadowing every positive effect he has imparted onto our lives. Would we grant the appropriate accolades to a man who cures cancer if he was once a convicted rapist? Would we reelect an exceptional president who has committed adultery and perjury? Simply put, do we believe that a man is defined by his past? The answer to such questions may seem obvious, yet reality continually deviates from such rational. It seems as though despite the infinite amount of effort a man sacrifices to move beyond his past, such separation of past and present is impossible in our society. We easily condemn one another with "scarlet letters" because we all live in fear that man is a creature of habit. But as both a victim and culprit of such judgment, I simply question why we dont all live in hope that man can change.