I'm not liking this humanizing of Negan. Like "yeah, Hitler wasn't such a bad guy, he was nice to his mother and he loved dogs." BS. If the only way for humanity to survive is under a brutal dictatorship, perhaps it really is time for it to end.
The episode is not humanizing Negan, as his interest in Carl was not for some greater good, but for his own selfish plotting--essentially trying to turn him into Negan The Second. His remorse over Carl's death centers on that self-serving interest, as he still tries to psychologically stab Rick in the same conversation.
On the subject of Negan seen in a different light, Carl's dream and letter is his idea of redemption, which means Negan himself must end the entire Saviors' organization and belief system. Regarding redemption, either one believes in it or they do not. In reality, there have been countless cases of criminals--some guilty of murder(s)--who turned their lives around (or were guided toward that change), which
is one of the purposes of life, unless one believes in a one-way, judge / jury / executioner system. Essentially, a permanent state of condemnation and punishment (if stopping short of killing).
The series has numerous examples of mankind sinking to the worst of his impulses as a means of control, "survival" and/or "defense": The Governor (and his original and 2.0 lackeys), Terminus, Randall's gang, the Claimers, Grady Memorial's police officers, the Wolves, and yes, Rick in a few seasons, hence Carl writing the letter to his father. The running theme is that the judge / jury / executioner approach to life leads to misery or--ultimately--death. Carl, like Hershel, Beth and Tyreese believed in another way
Clearly, none of the named groups ever lived for the right reasons or survived, so what is was the only answer left to them? That's what Carl's is requesting, not living under Negan's dictatorship and pretending its all good. Negan has to seek redemption to live up to Carl's ideas, not the other way around.
That's the problem with rednecks, they'll take the guns and even the furnishings but they don't see any value in the solar panels.
Not sure if you're joking, but if Simon is the one you're referring to as a redneck, he's not supposed to be one. By the way, in my travels in the so-called redneck regions of America, solar paneled
homes are everywhere, usually as an alternative to utility companies ripping off the consumer, so some of those rednecks do see the value in solar panels.
