Common Sense

I think common sense is real. Knowing the difference between right and wrong...weighing the consequences of one's actions and selecting the option that serves in your best interest or that of another. The choices one makes in life can be different for you and me as long as it is not at the expense of hurting others.

To me, common sense is inherent and partially learned (as Lizardlady said). You teach a child not to touch a hot stove or they will burn themselves (consequence). The child hears you but they are not convinced or don't really understand what you are saying. The child puts their hand on the stove but not near the flame. They think this is not bad, the stove doesn't hurt and so they go further and touch the grate...OUCH! That hurts! (learned)

Even the law recognizes common sense. The plead for insanity is based on the lack of having common sense (seeing the consequences of your actions). The claim is that they were so overwhelmed with emotion/fear/love/jealousy that all common sense was lost in the heat of the moment and insanity prevailed.

Not sure where I'm going with my thoughts here but maybe common sense vs. insanity.

Krisakira, I like the terms "book smart" and "street smart" better than "common sense." They seem to fit better.

Absolutely neither comes from studies,books etc,but it comes from the Experience,concentration and Presence of Mind.

Sorry, Glok, but the phrase "common sense" hurts me. Why?..... In my lifetime, I have been beat over the head with that phrase when ever I dont do something according to the thinking of "whoever". It hurts very much to be PUT DOWN by someone who thinks they have IT and I dont.

HA HA HA HA HA HA! thanks for this! probably the best definition i have ever heard!

IMHO....common sense is akin to something being "intuitively obvious". In other words, the solution jumps out and grabs you, without the need for a lot of hand wringing.

Common sense is The Basics, in my life experience and opinion.
It is a lot of what we as the Babyboomer generation were taught in the home growing up and in school.

"That is fire. It is hot. It will hurt/burn. Don't ever touch it."
"These are your elders. They've lived through and survived a lot. Respect them."
" Tie your shoes. Brush and floss your teeth. Change your clothes. Do laundry."
"Clean your room. Keep your bike in good running order. Take care of it."
"Get out of the rain. Don't stay out in the snow too long."
"Don't stand near windows or stay on the telephone during a lightning storm."
"Stop at all stop signs. Look left, look right, look left again before safely proceeding."
"Have a savings account. Try to save ___% of your money."
"Wash your hands. Blow your nose. Clean your ears."
"Don't walk in front of people. Open doors for ladies and old people. Offer help."
"Keep your mouth closed and don't talk while you are chewing your food."
"Behave. Don't talk back. Do your homework. Do your very best in school. It will reward you all of your life. If you don't, it will make your life so much harder. Be smart. Do right."
"Learn and memorize your basic math, multiplication tables, division,vocabulary. Read. Learn how to measure and to read a ruler, a tape measure. Exercise. It will serve you all of your life."
"Be polite. Be kind. Use good manners. Don't be rude, disrespectful."
"Pay attention. Keep your eyes and your ears open."

Common sense grows from these simple examples of some of the utmost basics, at least to my mind.

We as a culture do not seem to have a lot of common sense being taught in the homes or in the schools in recent decades. And it's an embarrassing shame. Because it's pretty evident in every place I go or have interaction with of late, it's seriously lacking. It's not limited to age/youth, education/lack thereof, money or not monied.

It's appalling to think what it will be like a generation from now. Will this American system even be capable of functioning? At least I won't be around for more of that perhaps total demise. Perhaps digital keypads and luminescent handheld screens or earbuds will tell us anything and everything possible that we need to know. The exception being good old common sense, which includes thinking. Oh my. What a radical thought.

Per the wise and familiar words of Edward R. Murrow,

" Good night. And good luck."