Surprise! Obliteration.

Plato knew knowledge

- like the sun-

has the power to obliterate

silhouettes of perception.

The Importance of Shattered Innocence

As the protagonist in a story comes of age, their innocence will undoubtedly be lost, betrayed, shamed, maimed, or corrupted along the way. The story’s resolution is then defined by that character’s development, or how they choose to evoke their evolution from ignorance to enlightenment in future chapters of their life journey. This recurring theme reflects a universal narrative as we all navigate our own coming of age stories across obstacles of immaturity, insecurity, adversity, and post-traumatic stress.

Growing pains are a lot like maternity pains- no emotion goes unfelt and everything hurts as we expand into unknown territory and face a new phase of our existence. Fortunately, growth goes hand in hand with newfound perspective, and the knowledge gained in the process helps to make the tribulations of change worthwhile, acceptable, and even sought after.

I posit that self-awareness produces more bliss than ignorance… albeit a bit more brutal and honest in its methods. Knowledge has the power to obliterate our current sense of self, essentially demolishing one reality and replacing it with a more profound point of view. If we can survive the blast and absorb new information rather than deny it, stability, peace, and happiness can sprout from the wreckage as we become more evolved versions of ourselves in a healthier society.