Where does innocence go?

Answer 1

If innocence is, as it is defined, "FREEDOM from guilt or sin through being unacquainted with evil," then it is NOT LOST, but rather CHANGED with the development of CONSCIENCE, in other words, with the KNOWLEDGE that there are good choices and bad choices in the human experience, kind and unkind, et cetera, and with the awareness that we are responsible for and defined by the choices we make, given that knowledge. It's change is a gift, because with this knowledge, we can then BECOME the person we CHOOSE to be, rather than the mere result or product or victim of circumstance or another's thinking.

(In the eyes of the law, however, we ARE all innocent, or SHOULD BE, rather, until PROVEN guilty.)

Answer 2

WOW, nice question. I have always suspected that not unlike the Law of The Conservation of Energy - at some core evolutionary substrate - there is also the Law of The Conservation of Innocence; indispensable to human progress and survival. … In other words, too much Innocence and the human experience would become a static and mush-like state of unadulterated conformity; too little Innocence, on the other hand, and the human civilization would quickly collapse into a self-annihilating and chaotic Zoo. … That is to say, there is at any one time a fixed quantity of vital Innocence to be disseminated amongst the human population. … So to answer your question: I believe Innocence is continually being RECYCLED back into the Human Equation through the newborns. … Notice by the way that, there is a direct correlation between the worldwide population explosion, and the ever-diminishing length of time that an average “technologically-exposed” child would retain its innocence.

Answer 3

Innocence goes to become the monsters under the bed for others out of spite for the way we disrespect it while growing up. Innocence is a lover scorned.

Answer 4

Innocence and Humility were on a plane kidnapped by Pride. They are being held with Love of Learning by Vanity somewhere in Hollywood.

Answer 5

We're all innocent of certain things. There is childhood innocence which is the care free life style of being blissfully ignorant of life's responsibilities. Then most of us are innocent of crime. But when we "lose" innocence" it simply changes into understanding and knowledge.

"knowledge of the forbidden steals our innocence"

Answer 6

Innocence is lost in a crazy mix of bad decisions and life lessons. Not much we can do about that. I guess just hang on for the ride.

Answer 7

Innocence, joy, love, curiosity, optimism, and a whole pile of other positive attitudes and beliefs get programmed out of our lives good and early just like they were with our parents and teachers. People cannot be allowed to discover the truth.

Answer 8

It slowly diminishes as the world affects someone, and brings them back to the real world instead of the innocence that everyone has as a child.

Answer 9

Innocence goes to self -identity realization process

Answer 10

Wow, I love this question. I wonder if innocence isn't vulnerability. As we get older we learn to be less vulnerable and toughen up...however our vulnerability stays - only deeper inside of us and less accessible to others and to our own selves sometimes. It is still there, but the level of depth one must go to reach it depends on how banged up by life we've been and how determined not to be hurt we've become. I think the arts and actively seeking to express oneself keeps it closer to the surface. GREAT question, thank you. : )