There is a dangerous illusion that one can live a good life without ever facing struggle, and that this is somehow preferable to make it to the end of life with least amount of pain, rather than most amount of triumph. This belief suggests that if we simply avoid wrongdoing, we will automatically become virtuous. But this is to misunderstand the nature of goodness itself. Virtue is not about avoiding evil; it is about overcoming it. This is about choosing to act in accordance with truth and justice no matter the circumstances: when it is easy or difficult, though it always requires giving up those these which might ostensibly be seen as sacrifice.

This brings us to a profound insight: goodness is not inherent in innocence; it is born in action. First, with action in the mind of thoughts through ceaseless prayer, and then in all endeavours thereafter. The soul that has never faced the weight of choice may seem virtuous in lack of outward badness, but such is also blind to the depth of its own potential, untested. It is often in trial that we are forced to confront who we really are and what we stand for.

Let us now consider the path from innocence to virtue as a journey through the domains of Resurrexit Theory, as described in your Structural Virtues Framework. In the first domain, Kratos, where we grapple with rejections and acceptances of rules, innocence may seem like an advantage, after all, one who has never known corruption is unburdened by its weight, having never actively selected its alternative in confrontation. This very innocence makes them vulnerable to the disruptions that arise when rules are twisted or ignored. It is in these moments of confusion that potentiated action becomes necessary: to reject falsehoods, to accept truth, and to align oneself with principles rather than convenience, so that one acts correctly in the moment of being tested.

In the second domain of Telos, where we balance product and craft, innocence may appear as a lack of conflict though it also comes with a lack of motivation generally. After all, one who has never known hardship may seem unburdened by the demands of growth, progress, or improvement. It leaves them unprepared for the challenges that come with striving for excellence. It is here that identification of and identification with progress becomes essential: to refine one’s skills in the virtues, to confront delays and setbacks, and to cultivate Patience and Prudence through repeated action.

In the third domain, Eros, where relationships become a power dynamic, innocence may seem as if it grants an easy path. Betrayal being unknown leads to trust without question, which may work out in a much more moral society, indeed, as it should generally. However this same innocence and trust which helps bond us as societies, leaves us unprepared for the complexities of manoeuvring in relationships, love, and loyalty, in a beneficial manner. It is here that Ethics, Justice, and Courage become necessary: to face the unknown, to stand firm in the face of adversity, and to choose truth over comfort.

Finally, in the fourth domain, Logos, where mastery and reason converge, innocence may appear as a lack of struggle, because it is. Logos domain is the struggle that brings out virtues but internalised and concentrated through rigorous discourse. Struggle in reality and through human experience in active consciousness and care prepares the dialectical reasoning that defines truly active and progressive virtues. It is here that Willpower becomes inevitable: to align oneself with truth through reason, to act with purpose, and to embrace the complexity of existence rather than shun it.