A Paragon or Renegade?

In the Mass Effect 2 system, as has been discussed ad nauseam, Controllers such as myself make the decisions for success and survival for Commander Shepard and his crew.  The path to these outcomes, however, the "kind" of decisions made, is defined by how you interact with other beings as you move along.

Similar to life outside the ME 2 system, "positive" and "negative" decisions do not weigh onto a single scale; a good action doesn't "cancel out" a bad one and a reputation built on fear or on generosity will not be significantly altered by one defection.  The implication of this, according to the system documentation site, masseffect.wikia.com, therefore is that there "is no gameplay-driven motivation to avoid a particular type of action".  The choice to intimidate or accommodate more often than the other leads to unlocked decisions that can lead one further down the path.  For example, if one commonly threatens or forces their way in conversation, they might be presented with more aggressive physical actions such as kicking a character through a window to his doom.  Or one that offers genuinely helpful advice or extends compassion towards difficult circumstances may have the opportunity to step in and save a character from death by quickly administering medigel.  

It's worth adding that the Paragon or Renegade decisions that need to be made occasionally feel forced and draw the character out of the System temporarily.  I mean, who exactly stops halfway through a mission to encourage a confused asari to pursue a romantic relationship, and presumably kids, with a genetically diseased krogan?  See the following developed by a group of system analysts for a unique look at this topic: http://xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/14235013/mass-effect-2/videos/ignoriginal_nastynate2_030510.html


 - Controller 22789JK7

 Renegade facial scarring in ME 2