Angel on your Shoulder

Innocence

Georgie dear asked me a question the other day that led to an inevitable conversation about innocence - 45 msn-minutes later, we'd covered what it was, where the line between innocence and experience was, what was too much or too little, and so on. Now, we were pretty interested in out conversation (and rather pleased with outselves, as we figured we were being quite philosophical and whatnot) and now we've decided that you'd like to know too. So, here it is; the 411 on innocence...

First things first, we decided that there were different types of innocence - there was innocence with guys (or girls, whatever takes your fancy), as well as innocence in a worldly, being your own person sense. The first one is (slightly) more straightforward; you're innocent if you've never been kissed (mmm, vince vaughn is hotttt :P) or you've never been on a date. Maybe if you go to an all girls school and you don't know any guys (vice versa for a dude) or you've escaped all knowledge on the birds and the bees - although television kind of rules out that innocence these days... But you know what i mean; that would be a level of innocence. The opposite end of the scale is the i've-slept with a guy/i've had a baby/i've had an abortion/etc kind of a place. We considered that to be a fairly big loss of innocence, because it can change outlooks on life or at least gives you more experience on how the world works.

The other type of innocence is a worldy type. This is often the type of innocence that is often stereotypically assigned to private school girls and boys who are said to have lived very sheltered lives. However, i'm not really sure this is always the case. Worldly innocence refers to not only experience with life outside school, the 'real' world, but also with pain, death, sadness, the trials and tribulations of individuality in a conformist society, even covering outlooks on world events. Now, i go to a private school, but i'd consider myself to be less innocent in the ways of the world that a number of people the same age that go to public schools. So i think it really is determined on a person-to-person basis, not on a group one that merely judges your social group. It's the same as saying that people with more money have less idea about the 'real' world - i think we can all say thats boohockey. Anyway, one who is of a worldly innocence is one who has blinkered views on international issues or who lives in a delusion that daddy's money will always be there. The innocence that let's you think that your parents will never not be there or that thinks that everything turns out ok. The opposite of this worldly innocence? Well, knowledge that the world is full of violence and pain, but also with joy and all that - i guess being able to see both sides of the coin?

Anyway, after that very muddles description, i should add that there is a very large middle ground of course, it's not clear cut. We started to wonder if there was such a thing as too innocent or too experienced. In the end, we decided that it all depended on the person; if someone was a complete slut then maybe the lack of innocence isn't a great thing. But if someone's slept with their long-time bf? That's not really a bad thing. And being completely innocent of the world's ways isn't always a bad thing; it's definately a child-like naivete that can be great at times. A lack of innocence can often leave a person cynical or depressed, which is obviously no good...

It's really a personal interpretation as to what is or isn't innocent. The same goes for what is too little or too much innocence; it depends on how the person acts and the circumstance. Hmm... it's interesting how much in life is up to personal interpretation yet society seems to demand a uniform approach to everything...

Well, i'm getting tired so the philosophical marvels of my conversation with george are starting to get a little hazy... i may leave you here, to consider for yourself... have a think about whether you've got an angel or a devil sitting on your shoulder these days...

Sleeeeepy now, off to bediebyes...

Annie