Do you consider yourself..a Paragon of Common Sense...

I know what common sense is intended to mean, but if I can wax pedantic (word of the day) for a moment, let me break down the phrase: Common means "all around us, in abundance." Sense is a "form of knowledge, but not precise in any meaningful way." It's just a "sense" which does not speak to issues of logic, truth, or actual knowledge. Common sense is often thought of as something of such simplicity that is undeniably correct, but what is "undeniable" is subjective and often without much thought. Look around you. Do you see an abundance of people doing things that make sense? Do half the people around you make sense?

Now should common sense be anything an intelligent person would aspire to? Or are there better ways to reason?
 
Common sense is not that common....i wish it were. We over think and make things much harder and more complex and by doing so fail in our efforts. I liked this mans explanation of how common sense is available if we allow it.

 

Common sense requires a mix of innate intelligence, knowledge, experience, and wisdom that may apply in given physical and social environments and situations but less so in others. I have good common sense here in the Western USA traveling most everywhere and interacting with people. Put me in a similar situation say in Great Britain, less so. In a foreign Western nation with a language I don't understand, common sense would be limited. In a third world country like rural India, I would be floundering.

Much common sense as earth creatures is learned at early ages automatically some of which we never need to think about later. For instance, even a 4 year old has figured out where to place their beverage glass on an open even location on their parent's dinner table without them needing to explain such. Thus the kid doesn't place it at a table edge where it might easily fall off or an unstable spot the table cloth is uneven. Much urban commute traffic driving requires common sense about masses in motion and identifying objects like road structures we learn from experience and not by education. That we ought avoid road side parking where other vehicles might collide with us is common sense, yet there are always a few lazy inconsiderate people that will park for outdoor events without their vehicles fully off traffic lane pavements and then later whine about fine tickets left on their windshields.

Most twentysomething adults with common sense understand they must be careful about what they do around others in a new work environment listening carefully to others, following directions, not making demands, not being emotional, dressing and acting appropriately. Especially interacting with those in positions above them. Regardless, there are fair numbers of new employees that only learn after being fired a few times after which acquaintances explain to them they are approaching work with unrealistic attitudes.

Those of us with much experience in our chosen environments, knowledgeable about whatever, with a tendency to think before acting, are more likely to apply common sense versus just acting out of habit or following what they see other's doing. Those that are more independent soloists in life require use of common sense more than those usually in groups as followers. For instance, I backpack into mountain wilderness areas that have a long list of dangers and possible impacting issues. One learns to be self sufficient moving about methodically with constant choices requiring thoughtful common sense considerations. For example on a day with thunderstorms, only a fool plunks down their tent at a seemingly pleasantly well-used flat level sandy camp spot in some at the moment dry obvious water channel.
 
It depends on what facet of life you are talking about. If it is finances or any kind of money management, I seem to have a fair amount. People are another matter. My common sense judgement where people are concerned - not so much. I often know better, but don't listen to my "inner self". I made some very poor choices when it came to husbands and friends in the past.
 
Oh, for sure! I don't want to brag but maybe just a little. I was born and raised in the country where folks tended to be very individualistic. Some were down right strange but they all had common sense.

Now, I live in the city (unfortunately) where I see very little common sense. Almost every urbanite tries to be like another urbanite. They seem to walk in the fear of being different. They don't know that being different is what made this country great. Being a "me too" zombie gets you no where. You are just part of the "system." You are being used to consume material things.

If we live in a democracy, then being different should be honoured and looked up to. If we all dress alike and try to be like everyone else, I see a picture of millions of Chinese wearing their Mao jackets.
 

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My friends say I have the 'What could go wrong' gene. I have always pointed out the possible flaws in questionable ideas. We were once tent camping in Newport RI high on a barren hill overlooking the bay. All the motor homes were down on the flat ground. I happened to mention that it looked a bit exposed and caught flack for being a naysayer. We went to dine on the dinner train and experienced a vivid lightning storm with torrential downpours. When we got back to the campground there wasn't a tent left on the hill. Then I caught flack for being right.

I call it common sense.
 
Generally, I think things through and proceed carefully, but sometimes when it seems things are going wrong and I need to act quickly, I haven't always used the best judgment. Patience is a virtue I'm somtimes short on.
 
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