Once, in a dry season, I wrote in large letters across two pages of a notebook that innocence ends when one is stripped of the delusion that one likes oneself.
The quote from Joan Didion's "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" reflects on the theme of innocence and self-perception. It suggests that a person’s innocence is lost when they come to terms with reality and abandon the comforting belief that they hold a positive view of themselves. This moment of realization often accompanies a profound self-awareness, leading individuals away from the naivety of self-love toward a more complicated understanding of their identity.
Didion's statement emphasizes the psychological transition from childhood innocence to adult self-awareness. This transition can be painful as one confronts their imperfections and acknowledges true feelings about themselves. The observation resonates with the universal struggle many face in reconciling their self-image with the harsher truths of life, making it a poignant reflection on the nature of human experience.
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