Let Me Keep my Innocnece | Teen Ink

Let Me Keep my Innocnece

June 1, 2009
By PK4evr ELITE, Allen, Texas
PK4evr ELITE, Allen, Texas
105 articles 5 photos 107 comments

Favorite Quote:
When life gives you lemons, make grape juice, then watch everyone wonder how you did it!


“You have to lose your innocence- we’re going to make sure you do by the end of this year.” I’m a graduating freshman from high school, and this is the statement that I have heard on a daily basis. I’m not exaggerating- everywhere I go, it’s people cracking dirty jokes that I don’t understand. While trying to do homework in orchestra, while having a free day in math, I just stood (or sat) dumbfounded while everyone was laughing like crazy. In both situations, people tried to make me “lose my innocence.” I repeated the same statement that I have grown so tired of saying because of the number of times that I have had to say it- “I would like to, if possible, keep my innocence.” And I am known for this innocence. I’m so innocent that I don’t know what “that’s what she said” means- still don’t, hope I never do, and so far, no one’s attempts to explain have reached me. (Don’t explain it to me either.) Although some people claim to be proud of their perverted minds, I told them one thing- an innocent mind can always become perverted at any time, but a perverted mind can never become innocent.
Think of a pink elephant.
Okay, now try to not think of a pink elephant.
It’s hard, isn’t it? When you tell yourself to not think of something, doesn’t that just make us think about it even more? That’s why someone has to concentrate on the good things- and that’s why I know that if I understood the dirty jokes, I would crack them right and left like nobody’s business. But so far, I’ve been spared from doing that. I’ve been able to stand up for myself, to not give in to peer pressure and allow myself to understand these things. I don’t want to understand these things. I enjoy being pure- I may be missing out on something, but ignorance is bliss. A child doesn’t need to understand those things to be happy- and consider me childish, but neither do I. I’ve told everyone that I would like to keep my innocence. As much as people tried to change that, they haven’t been able to. But their efforts still bother me. Their efforts are not completely futile. And in the end, I feel like it’s made me kind of lose a sense of who I am.
I think that this difference in me from other ninth graders should allow me to say this one thing-
Let me keep my innocent mind.


The author's comments:
It may be kind of bad... written on a total whim. Oh well- hope I was persuasive.

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This article has 67 comments.


Lilliterra said...
on Feb. 2 2011 at 1:36 am
As a dove.

on Jan. 22 2011 at 5:43 pm
silence-is-loud GOLD, Chicago, Illinois
10 articles 0 photos 135 comments

Favorite Quote:
FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY, STING LIKE A BEE- MUHAMMID ALI

I wish I were more like you... keeping innocence.... and I love that goal that you have. Very few teens would even think about keeping there innocence, and etc. Peer pressure is something that can really get to me. I'm glad that you are the opposite. I rated you five stars :) and I faved you.

Lizette SILVER said...
on Jan. 11 2011 at 3:47 pm
Lizette SILVER, Delphos, Ohio
5 articles 0 photos 47 comments

Favorite Quote:
Everyone is entitled to be stupid. But some people abuse the privlidge!

i totally know where you are coming from...its great to know that i'm not the only one out there whose completly dumbfounded by people and there idiot remarks

rplove013 said...
on Nov. 28 2010 at 9:32 pm
rplove013, Burlington, North Carolina
0 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
Energizer Bunny arrested, charged with battery.

I think if you are confident in yourself then do not let other people influence you...most people go around saying perverted things, and they have neither experienced it nor made the comment themselves...they heard it from someone who heard it from someone else...

"that's what she said" ..the thing to do is say it then laugh... in my opinion, most kids do not understand what is really being talked about...they just laugh and make jokes because they think it is cool and that others will like them because of it. Stay yourself and if innocent is you, then I am happy for you. 

*Ignorance is bliss--totally true.


on Nov. 28 2010 at 2:06 pm
TheWanderingMoo SILVER, Oberrieden, Other
8 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Leave the cat alone, for what has the cat done to you that you should so afflict it with tape?\&quot;<br /> -Ian Frazier

while i understand your point of view, there is nothing to be gained by going through life ignorant, naive, and unaware.  the world is not a pure place.  you do not have to take part in dirty jokes if you understand them, and a lack of understanding now can lead to prolonged ignorance and self-endangerment later in life

on Nov. 4 2010 at 6:35 pm
Destinee BRONZE, Oakville, Other
3 articles 0 photos 303 comments

Favorite Quote:
Blegh. - Abraham Lincoln

I agree. I was lucky enough not to have to talk Sex Ed (I lived in another country) and my friends are always saying, "Oh, I wish I was still innocent like you". That's a direct quote. 

I'm glad, but the innocence fades fast, I promise you. 

on Oct. 23 2010 at 10:08 am
writingisright, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
0 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Don&#039;t follow your dreams; chase them.&quot;<br /> - Richard Dumb

I think it is very good for you to want to keep your innocence and to fight for what you want.

BriBear BRONZE said...
on Sep. 23 2010 at 5:25 pm
BriBear BRONZE, LaFayette, Georgia
4 articles 18 photos 35 comments

Favorite Quote:
If i was perfect they&#039;d have to redifine the words

i love ur comment

BriBear BRONZE said...
on Sep. 23 2010 at 5:22 pm
BriBear BRONZE, LaFayette, Georgia
4 articles 18 photos 35 comments

Favorite Quote:
If i was perfect they&#039;d have to redifine the words

honestly my mind is "in the gutter" and im only an 8th grader. been that way forever. sometimes i widh it wasnt but it kindof gives u a good laugh when u need it. if u have a perverted mind then u cant help but to laugh at things said sometimes and i need that. but im very glad for u :)

on Sep. 12 2010 at 2:48 pm
AngelicaM BRONZE, Warren, Michigan
4 articles 0 photos 15 comments

I see what you mean, and I agree. :)

I am happy for you!


on Jul. 12 2010 at 2:22 pm
toxic.monkey SILVER, Tashkent, Other
6 articles 0 photos 210 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Homo homini lupus&quot;

I totally see your point of view. Personally I, though, didn't really care to stay innocent. My opinion is that sometimes you just need to have something to talk about and that one can't live in ignorance of the society one lives in.

on Jul. 12 2010 at 2:20 pm
toxic.monkey SILVER, Tashkent, Other
6 articles 0 photos 210 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Homo homini lupus&quot;

Shakespeare's plays often have a lot of sexual inuendo. Never let anyone say, "kids these days..." again :)

on Jul. 2 2010 at 6:27 am
MoonlitRaven BRONZE, Nanaimo, Other
2 articles 1 photo 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Life is seen only through lenes, it&#039;s to only your perspective that you can tell.&quot; Josh Gray

i see your arguement, but i'm sry to say that you can't suspect nothing  less from the others and yourself, in meaning your ignorance is nthing but your nimble wall of which ensarse you into your bliss. It isn't that your missing out on that, its that your by fact very neglectful and are inpure in your way. Your very observise about of your peers, and to be onhoest no matter what illusion may creat, no one is pure, weather i need not hear it or for you to even come to terms with yourself, and ask why?  why, push other from your fear, rather than your intriggered innocent mind, more as in your contricted mind, of that you arn;t missing out on them, its your own experience. Life is seen only through lenses, it's only to your prespective that you can tell and manipulate life as it is, pure isn't pure justbecause one said it is.

LivenLove said...
on Jun. 27 2010 at 6:31 pm
LivenLove, Washington, Pennsylvania
0 articles 0 photos 30 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Words are very powerful, but only if you listen to them.&quot;

I think your topic was great, all of us have our innocent moments. But I really love your pink elephant statement! it applies to any and every opinon a person could have, be true to urslef! 

on May. 30 2010 at 7:06 pm
MMSachiever29 BRONZE, Manassas, Virginia
1 article 2 photos 1 comment
i totally know what u mean about this!! i've been going through the same exact thing @ my school, mainly with my friends chanting just disgusting or bad words around me all the time because they know i won't say them. they call me a prude and stuff, but they're my friends, so i can handle it. :)

E.Hartell said...
on May. 30 2010 at 10:15 am
E.Hartell, Undisclosed, Virginia
0 articles 0 photos 25 comments

Favorite Quote:
Half of being smart is knowing what you&#039;re dumb at. -David Gerrold<br /> <br /> &ldquo;Fundamentally, all writing is about the same thing; it&#039;s about dying, about the brief flicker of time we have here, and the frustration that it creates.&rdquo; (Mordecai Richler)

Certainly a very interesting article. A group of my friends call me "the pure one," and even though I do understand those types of jokes, I still consider myself to be pure at heart.

Many of the jokes aren't terribly clever either. It's mostly "oh, hey, this phrase sounds like it could mean this in a different context, and hahaha." Even if somebody does tell you what they all mean, it won't truly change you. Most of these kids grow up and rarely make those jokes again.

And a lot of that joking comes from insecurity (in my opinion), and the discomfort regarding topics of a sexual nature.


anon said...
on May. 3 2010 at 10:40 am

William Shakespeare said : you might defeat the sexual temptation but watch out for the jealousy...Don't enjoy proving people wrong,if you 

William Shakespeare said : you might defeat the sexual temptation but watch out for the jealousy...Don't enjoy proving people wrong,if you stay away from sexual contact do it for your own advantage don't just push away any boy/girl that might just be a perfect person for you.


saimne SILVER said...
on Apr. 26 2010 at 9:49 pm
saimne SILVER, Cerritos, California
5 articles 0 photos 60 comments

Favorite Quote:
I see humans, but no humanity.

ummmm, im not exactly sure if i commented on this already but here we go anyways...

I respect your goal and ambition, but, in the end, one of two things will happen: you trip into the "pool of corruption" and learn to swim like the rest of us, or you will be the cause of your own demise. the innocent are prime targets for those more malicious people, and therefore these pure people end up getting very hurt because along with this perversion (which can be limited) comes social... defenses that one acquires... at least in my experience...

You have been warned...


on Apr. 22 2010 at 7:08 am
amber_w_17 SILVER, Powell, Tennessee
7 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
All of us failed to match our dreams of perfection. So I rate us on the basis of our splendid failure to do the impossible.<br /> ~Willliam Faulkner~

I believe that if you are confident in yourself you should not care what other people's opinions are. If you stay true to your beliefs then you will not give into pressure. There are more people "innocent" than most would think. You have some good points, but I do not believe that your school is full of people trying to take your innocence from you if that is how you want to stay so I think you have nothing to worry about.

on Mar. 31 2010 at 3:01 pm
dreamer55 SILVER, Raleigh, North Carolina
5 articles 0 photos 2 comments
Good points. What I don't understand is why are kids so worried about knowing everything about the world? You're only a child once. Why abuse it? Even the Bible says the be as innocent as a rose but wise as a serpent....