The Passing of Common Sense

[Nick Hansen]

I was reading a good book by Justin Herald named 'Get Motivated,' and he mentioned this sad fact:

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years.

No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, that life isn’t always fair, and maybe it was just my fault.



Common sense lived by simple sound financial policies such as, don’t spend more than you earn and reliable parenting strategies like, adults, not children, are actually in charge.

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charge with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch, and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.



Common sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer paracetamol, sun lotion or a band aid to a student, but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common sense took a beating when you could no longer defend yourself from a burglar in your own home from fear of being sued for assault.



Common Sense lost the will to live when the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches because business, and criminals received better treatment than their victims.



Common sense finally gave up after a woman failed to realise that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, spilled a little in her lab, sued and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.



Common sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason.

He is survived by three stepbrothers; I know My Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I’m a Victim.



Not many attended his funeral because so few realised he was gone. If you still remember him pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.


This seems to be a consequence of large societies, there is no accountability or responsibility for ones actions or how it may hurt someone else. Maybe because noone knows each other?

For instance, not too long ago when my fiance was driving her car, she got hit from behind by another car. This was an old lady who truthfull should not have been driving at all. Now we had the option to sue her for medical expenses and the whole lot, but what is the point? It was an accident, she did not diliberatley do it, and why should i make her suffer even more for her mistake? Everyone makes mistakes.

Does anyone else notice a corrleation between large cities and lack of social skills, lack of accountability for ones actions and lack of respect for other people?

[Mark Lapierre]

Yup. It seems to be an aspect of the process of individuation taken to extremes (i.e., not balanced by integration).

More details on my blog, but in summary, we naturally develop by alternately becoming more individual versus becoming more connected/integrated with others.

For some time now Western society has focused heavily on the side of individuation, even when it seems to be making us less unique. Take our school systems as an example. They're arguably designed to make sure everyone reaches the same general standards, rather than to focus on truly unique strengths (i.e., building strengths is ok, as long as they're part of the curriculum). Yet it does this by encouraging competition more than it does cooperation. This leads to people working to be recognised as superior to others. The end result is a lot of similar people who all behave as if they're unique. (huge generalisations there, I know)

So I think we'd benefit a lot by focusing on a balance between individuation and integration. I also think we need to look at other cultures to see how they're doing things differently, and what they do that might work for us. Get over the idea that we're wholly superior.

[emilee]

I was truly saddened to read of the painful passing of our dear friend, Common Sense. A real influence in my life, Common Sense will live on through me, and I deeply hope that the same can be said for uncountable others. emilee

[EnduranceNinja]

I always joke around to my wife that I plan to make a church called the church of common sense. I would preach common sense. and all my followers would be shocked and ah and wonder where I discovered this new idea called common sense. Do you think this is only an American thing? I would be curious what others feel from other countries. I admit I find myself wanting to bang my head against the wall when I find I forgot the most simple common sense. And it is not only the youth the older generations are at a lack of common sense.

[Michael Chui]

I think the term you're looking for is "narcissism".

apophenia: "Generation Me"

The entire thing is a result of artifically achieving an effect, rather than achieving the cause. That is, creating warm loving goodness, not because of any inherent worth proven, but because we like warm loving goodness. Also available in syringe form.

[Brutha]

Common Sense never lived in the first place.
It's too easy to label the own position as "common sense" and everyone else as acting strange.

[AlmostGone]

Excellent piece Nick. Truer words have never been spoken. Some argue that as far as they are concerned, Common Sense never existed. I'd hate to contradict them.

[Daniel L Bell]

I think the lost of common sense is only a symptom of a larger issue causing the deterioration of our western culture. Not to get all religious. But Jesus made a great point in one of his sermons I believe is not understood by most. He said; The servant is never greater than the master. We reading this agree and move on from this passage. But it is deeper than that. What is to be gathered however is what problems are created when the servant does become greater than the master. This I believe is the real culprid. Example: Our government originated as "We the People" are the master of our government. However, slowly but surely the government (servant) is in charge of the people (master). It is true in our families. Parents use to be in charge of there household. Now the kids are in charge. At one point in our past the old grey headed person was seen as wise because he or she possessd the knowledge and experience of the past. Now they are considered less knowledgable because kids are deemed wiser because of their use of that all knowing system called the computer. This sickness has penetrated every aspect of our society. Not to be gloomy, but it will destroy it.

[evrgrn3]

Once you define Common sense, you begin to define what it is not. Who is to say one definition is more common (or better) than the other?

Does it require 10 people to make sense, common? How bout 100? Does it matter who the sample is made up of? Does it account for culture? How about generational differences?

If a 22 year old and an 88 year old are asked to define common sense, they may very well have 2 different answers -- who is right? Is wisdom right or are current trends right?

When someone says "Use some common sense" -- are they not really saying "think more like me (or people like me)"? What is the difference?

The challenge with common sense is that it is not really all that common. If it were, would we really have to define it?

[Jason S]

"Throughout history, common people have shown themselves to be acutely prone to mass hysteria and utter idiocy. I don’t care how much people gush about common sense; I don’t trust it, and neither should you."

--from How to Self-Destruct: Making the Least of What's Left of Your Career

[supertom]

im glad people here get it. Theres no such thing as common sense, everyone thinks differently.

I remember the wost thing my parents used to say to me is was "use your common sense" which goes with " you should know".

I think those people are losers that have opinion about how to do everything and think their way is the right way.

Wasn't it common sense that said the earth was flat and it was the center of solar system.

[missing]

Originally Posted by Brutha

Common Sense never lived in the first place.
It's too easy to label the own position as "common sense" and everyone else as acting strange.

I see what you are saying but disagree. For a society to function their needs to be some commonalities, some absolutes that I'd deem "common sense". Otherwise we dissolve into a chaotic series of petty disputes over mundane things (maybe already happening!). I mean, few people dispute the existence of gravity, though I'm sure some do...

As a whole I think large societies lack a meaningful consensus of their values.

[ArwenTaylor]

Originally Posted by Jason S

"Throughout history, common people have shown themselves to be acutely prone to mass hysteria and utter idiocy. I don’t care how much people gush about common sense; I don’t trust it, and neither should you."

--from How to Self-Destruct: Making the Least of What's Left of Your Career

Maybe not Common Sense but Proven Wisdom? It is Proven Wisdom that if you stand out in the rain with no protection, you'll likely catch a cold. It is Proven Widom that if you spend more than you earn you'll put yourself in debt.

I agree that you can't always trust that what everyone else thinks is correct but there are some things in life that are going to be true all (or the majority) of the time.

[Jennihul]

Look at most of your examples of lost common sense. What do they have in common?

Lawyers.


Jennifer

[Michael Chui]

Originally Posted by Jennihul

Look at most of your examples of lost common sense. What do they have in common?

Lawyers.


Jennifer

Priceless.

[Plato]

Wouldn't have happened in my day!

[Jason S]

Jason Seiden » Blog Archive » Q: What is common sense? How does it differ from conventional wisdom?

I'm actually a big proponent of common sense... it's conventional wisdom that I'm not a fan of. I defined my view of the two--and how I think they differ--on my blog last year.

Bottom line: common sense is the ability to rise above human frailty when considering a situation; conventional wisdom is to see the same situation through the lens of our imperfect human condition.