The Matt Malley Story

Innocence – a curse or a blessing?

I have been living in the USA for a number of years, having spent most of my life in Western Europe. Many people notice that many , (certainly not all), North Americans do not have a developed sense of irony. (The Australian writer and humorist, Kathy Lette, noted that“Americans are suffer from an‘irony deficiency”’.)

Yesterday, in my dog-run in Seton Park, Bronx, Liz, a wise psychologist and owner of a wonderful dog called Charlie, said when asked about this that a sense of the double meaning in words doesn’t arise in children until the age of 8 or later and that, in her view, this non -ndertanding of irony in many Americans might be seen as a sign of arressted deveopment.

I posited that it might be more to do with an absence of cynicism and a much greater openness to possibilites – which is one measure of innocence.

When I came to work here, there was a noticeable willingness to try new things which is not present in much of Europe. When presented with a new idea, Europeans would either categorically say “that would never work” or ” we tried that X years ago and it didn’t work.” Americans would be more likely to scratch their heads and say, “Gee, I don’t know – but let’s give it a try and see.”

My online dictionary defines ‘innocence’ as: the absebce if guilt, or lack of guile or corruption, or purity.

Many Europeans I have spoken to regard ‘innocence’ as a bad or negative thing, something to be gotten rid of as soon as possible, but it isn’t, it’s a very powerful, positive quality.

Look at how innocent young babies are, human or animal, and how the vast majority of people relate positively to them.