Likewise, I think that one is very much inclined to mentally create an image of another person within one's head where not only that person's character is taken into account, but also the person's 'external' condition which is usually concerned with a more materialist approach. This is where conscious and unconscious prejudices arise and sure, you may very well exalt a given person around you by only observing his quality of character, thus isolating that person within the realm of his own desirable complexities, which may be positively intriguing to you.
When that person's outside state, such as social position, estimable future and image in the eyes of other people is considered, your definition of this person's character is altered, usually in favour of reality and its negative implications.
It is often society and its inequities therefore, that lets other people down in the face of our own preferences. Good guys thus sometimes lose.
Commenting by HaloScan
