In Mass Effect 2, certain actions will give you either Paragon or Renegade reputation. In conversations, there are often choices where you must choose whether to go for one or another, and it pays to put most of your eggs in one basket; but sometimes you have the opportunity to get "free" points of the opposite alignment, such as when there's no option that gives you preferred points, so it's either get opposite points or get nothing.
Should I pursue these opportunities, will I get any benefits (e.g. some persuade/intimidate checks being easier than their counterparts or there not even being a counterpart option, being offered more missions) or disadvantages (e.g. people thinking I'm a bit of a bastard and changing their attitude in the long run, squad members denying their loyalty missions)?
Best Answer
Unlike Mass Effect 1 (which blocked Paragon / Renegade actions behind a required number of points), Mass Effect 2's Paragon system is based on a ratio: Number of Renegade|Paragon Points / Total Number of Renegade|Paragon Points Possible (at this point).
So to answer your question, there is no detriment to picking up the "free" points, and not picking them up is actually detrimental if you want to mix Paragon / Renegade.
As far as I know, in Mass Effect 2, all competing Paragon / Renegade options require the same Ratio to use (unlike Mass Effect 1).