If you try to pick mostly good things but several bad -for the PQ boosts-, more often than not you end up neutral- which gives no benefits, and get nothing to show for it.
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The neutral alignment has benefits that are not available when using either the Good or Evil path. They aren't obvious, but they are quite significant if used properly.
This benefit (a spoiler, actually) is exclusive to the Neutral alignment only. As soon as you deviate by choosing a good or evil option, the bonus is killed.
What I mean is, its like theres an invisible line between 'sorta good' and 'personifcation of Jesus'. One good choice send you flying over that line, and suddenly the grass is greener beneath your footsteps. There is no reward for the guy who choses mostly good things, its all or nothing, and that kinda bugs me.
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There is a reward for choosing mostly good things - it's much easier to be friends with good empires. In addition, there are new technologies that get unlocked (not all at once - they are available at different points on the alignment scale.) To compensate, your empire might not function optimally from all the penalites.
Likewise, there are rewards for choosing mostly evil options - a permanent or colony bonus of a certain attribute depending on the event. However, there is a disadvantage of no longer being trusted by other empires. See: http://www.galciv.com/examples/4
There is no solid white line that automatically gives all benefits of one alignment - they are spread out.
mean come on, how can any civilization call itself 'good' when it trades for and uses "artifical slaves" and "Life force whatever I forgot the name but its really really evil"?
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In one view, that's a bug, but all technologies can be adapted to either good or evil depending on the situation. For example, Advanced Slavery could be converted to an extremely voluntary workforce that receives better pay/treatment.
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