Thread: Innocence?

I suppose, applying it to human thoughts and behaviors, it could take on a few meanings. One is obviously being free of guilt from a crime or other legal measure, but this probably isn't what you had in mind.

Taken in another context, I'd say innocence is freedom from pessimism or cynicism. Someone who has not been "corrputed" by the harshness of reality. Sort of a naivety, or an offshoot of blissful ignorance.

Originally Posted by Mario92

Taken in another context, I'd say innocence is freedom from pessimism or cynicism. Someone who has not been "corrputed" by the harshness of reality. Sort of a naivety, or an offshoot of blissful ignorance.

Being free from corruption is exactly what I had in mind. But the more I think about it, the less I believe there really are innocent people in the world.

Innocence is others over self.

That's more a "systems" philosophical definition of what innocence collectively amounts to in any case.

Originally Posted by Mario92

Taken in another context, I'd say innocence is freedom from pessimism or cynicism. Someone who has not been "corrputed" by the harshness of reality. Sort of a naivety, or an offshoot of blissful ignorance.

In mentioning "the harshness of reality," to what particular things are you referring?

Being pure, and free of corruption. Children are a perfect example of this.

Originally Posted by InvisibleWoman

In mentioning "the harshness of reality," to what particular things are you referring?

Death, disease, floods, famines, fires, crumbling relationships, tsunamis, earthquakes, other natural disasters, the fear of war or political conflict, and so on and so forth.

Innocence is being free of concepts of good and bad. There is innocence with naivety and innocence without naivety. Children are innocent, but naive. A wise man is innocent but not naive. Both kinds of innocence are trusting.

Originally Posted by slayer

If I may ask, how does one define Innocence?

What does innocence mean to you? Do you believe you are innocent?

I'm having a hard time coming up with a way to describe innocence itself. I would like to know how other people define it though.

I want to know how you see innocence, not how Wikipedia or your dictionary describes it.

Language rests upon a convention of names--without which language is really not possible. No one is free to "define for themselves" as that is an oxymoron.

I don't know about that one Dannon, i'd say that true innocence is only possible when coupled with naivety.

It's possible to free your mind of corruption and all that, but you still know it exists. You are still aware of it, and have experienced it firsthand (unless you've lived a very sheltered life). I don't think losing innocence is a bad thing, I think it's necessary, and beneficial to the individual. It makes you stronger and wiser, having knowledge of how the world works and what intentions people may have, whether good or bad.

If you have ever laughed, and not a laughter making fun of other people not caring about their emotions, but a laughter just because you were happy - you've known innocence. Like so many other human qualities, just because we don't experience them 24/7 doesn't mean we never have.