Can someone who smokes be considered innocent?

[Anonymous]

"Innocent" as in "childlike innocence", not that they are guilty of something. This is a thought that came upon me during my work of digitalizing my family pictures - one of them, which I remember sharing on here, is of my mom, aged 17, sitting barefoot on the grass and smoking cigarette - she said that back then she was innocent and not as jaded as she can be now.

I admit I found interesting the contrast of basically kid doing an adult gesture such as smoking a cigarette.

Thoughts?

[AmandaYVR]

Interesting q, SKI.

There are probably levels, gradations of innocence. ? But the young person who is doing this... I think they are wanting to push towards adulthood. It might feel like a right of passage, a smashing of their childhood and turning away from youth. I think it suggests a certain mindset in them. Although it could be temporary. There is a difference between experimenting with these 'illicit' things once or a few times, and going full tilt, making it more of a 'lifestyle' choice or something.

In short, if there can only be a yes or no answer, I'd say, no, she was not innocent. She's just pretending she was, in retrospect. But parents often try to maintain their image when speaking to their children, no matter how old everyone becomes.

[Asker]

Thank you Amanda, I completely agree with your reasoning, especially as doing it as a rite of passage.

I also agree with the fact that parents usually want to give an idealized image to their children - and in my mother's case I sort of agree with her saying "she was just a kid", in the sense that she was (and still is, on a minor measure) fickle and bratty like a teenager.

[Ms_Facesitter]

It depends on your definition of what's innocent. There are some sweet, harmless and naive people out there who smoke.

[OlderAndWiser]

To me, "innocence" means a person has a childlike naivete and they are not eager to grow up. Someone smoking wants to act grown up. Inconsistent.

[OlderAndWiser]

Thanks for MHO!

[Jamie05rhs]

Yes. But they are also considered dumb and gullible.

[Jamie05rhs]

No offense, of course.

[Asker]

Don't worry, none taken

[Jamie05rhs]

Thanks for the MHO!

[Anonymous]

Innocent and foolish?

[NathanDavis]

naive, yes

[Agape93]

Sure

[Fuentes]

Could be lol

[Songomatic]

Kids smoke at 10 lol

[MendaciousMarxist]

yeah, this was going to be my point exactly. some of my students smoke and vape on school grounds. no issues there