I should say - Buffy is clearly not responsible for how Willow misinterpretsmisinterprets Buffy's advice or example. Similar for Xander, Giles, Oz, Tara etc.
I ran out of space so had to cut some nuances.
I think Willow and Spike especially are *extremely* sensitive to others' treatment, approval/disapproval, and love/dislike for them - but mostly they want to do what they think is right. They are emotion driven, intuitive - and the conclusions they come to about what will make them good or worthy of love are often way off. They are dangerous - because they internalize others' messages and codes while sometimes missing important features of them. But I think they are far less likely than Angel or Cordelia to blindly follow a higher power. They do listen to others - but I think, at least before s7, they fail to fully listen, only picking up part of what others say. They are sort of seeking approval, but would rather follow their own instincts - to figure out from others what general principles to follow and then internalize them and follow then through to their conclusion. I.e. Spike admires Angelus and then becomes a slayer-killer; Willow admires Buffy's power so builds a dark arsenal of power. On the good side, Spike admires Buffy and chooses to sacrifice himself as she might do; Willow admires Tara and tries to become a good witch. Whether good or evil - they are not so much seeking direct approval, as to figure out through observations what qualities are admirable, and then to reproduce these qualities in their own way. I think that's the difference between them and Angel - who needs something of the direct line to the Powers trekking him exactly what they want him to do, rather than trying to determine who he wants to be.
no subject
I ran out of space so had to cut some nuances.
I think Willow and Spike especially are *extremely* sensitive to others' treatment, approval/disapproval, and love/dislike for them - but mostly they want to do what they think is right. They are emotion driven, intuitive - and the conclusions they come to about what will make them good or worthy of love are often way off. They are dangerous - because they internalize others' messages and codes while sometimes missing important features of them. But I think they are far less likely than Angel or Cordelia to blindly follow a higher power. They do listen to others - but I think, at least before s7, they fail to fully listen, only picking up part of what others say. They are sort of seeking approval, but would rather follow their own instincts - to figure out from others what general principles to follow and then internalize them and follow then through to their conclusion. I.e. Spike admires Angelus and then becomes a slayer-killer; Willow admires Buffy's power so builds a dark arsenal of power. On the good side, Spike admires Buffy and chooses to sacrifice himself as she might do; Willow admires Tara and tries to become a good witch. Whether good or evil - they are not so much seeking direct approval, as to figure out through observations what qualities are admirable, and then to reproduce these qualities in their own way. I think that's the difference between them and Angel - who needs something of the direct line to the Powers trekking him exactly what they want him to do, rather than trying to determine who he wants to be.