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shawn lyles

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Does innocence exists?

What determines innocence?
What removes innocence?
Can it be protected or promoted?

Topics: peace philosophy psycology
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    natasha nikulina 50+

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    TED Translator
    Oct 9 2012: I guess, we loose our innocence when we become aware that we are aware.
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    Morris Bates

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    Oct 9 2012: Life greatest illusion is innocence, so I suppose no. No one on this Earth is innocent because at one point in life, everyone has either killed, stolen, cheated (on any number of possibilities of things), or done wrong in one form or another. While the passing of time may erase the guilt from your memory or your conscience becomes non-existant, no one is truly innocent. Isolation from corruption is impossible, for it is everywhere.
    Even if a child soldier kills someone, and doesn't know that it is wrong, his concept of innocence has been lost and he clearly has none. No one is truly innocent because innocence is something you lose once in your life and can never be regained, no matter how much of a religious fanatic you are or how much money you have.
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    Obey No1kinobe 50+

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    Oct 9 2012: You may need to define innocence as a starting point.

    In general I suggest children are much less innocent than we like to imagine.

    • shawn lyles

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      Oct 9 2012: Now that raises my interest a marked degree! Please share your insight.

  • Robert Galway 20+

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    Oct 9 2012: I think innocence is determined by purity of intent or thought.

    I think innocence is lost in a person upon the realization that one can exploit a misunderstanding or an advantage over another person, followed by the choice to do so.

    To protect innocence, it almost needs to be isolated from the corrupt, but this is really not possible. Perhaps a more practical method would be to try and match information received to maturity level of the recipient.

    To promote innocence, you might guide communications and interaction to groups that are similarly innocent. Not sure how you filter and you can't be everywhere at once. Perhaps a more practical method is to provide truth one step ahead of the potential for receiving different information.

    • shawn lyles

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      Oct 9 2012: Do you think free will and innocence are at odds?

      • Robert Galway 20+

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        Oct 9 2012: No, at least not as I understand free will. I think innocence is trying to do what you consider to be the right thing as a result of just the circumstances of the situation. Your motives are pure and the result of just the sensory data you collect. I think when things like manipulation, image, posturing, and concerns about other issues besides the issue prompting action creep in, then you lose innocence.
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