The Problems with Common Sense
“Common sense is not so common,” Voltaire communicated.
The French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher was likely saying what has been often thought and expressed throughout history: what should be obvious, known and shown, just isn’t regularly done and experienced.
Several years ago, I pitched what I believed was a smart idea to someone in authority. I was told by that intelligent, accomplished person that the idea, which I proposed as a teaching point, was already “top of mind,” as in common sense or in short, something everyone knows.
I was stunned not only because of the response, which I knew not to be true, but because of how it was expressed and the attitude behind it. I quietly disagreed with the person, partly out of shock and to be honest, partly out of embarrassment and a lack of assertiveness.
After we live a bit more than a little life, we quickly come to realize that we take “common sense” for granted and in reality, it’s not so common and the infrequency of its practice is disappointing. Yet most all of us feel we are skilled in exercising it.
Recently I had a flashback to that particular conversation I mentioned above and a question came to mind: how much do we exhibit common sense in our thinking, communication and other behavior?
Dian Griesel, Ph.D., the president of Dian Griesel International and also the chief creative at Silver Disobedience, was receptive to having a short conversation about it and so we did in this Brief Exchanges feature.
Dian Griesel
Two thoughts instantly popped into my mind.
Your first sentence, reminded me of a publishing contract I once signed with Putnam for a book that never materialized.
The Editor told me, “Ideas are in the universe. When we see what seems like a new book topic, we sign up an author quickly, knowing that more proposals will be coming shortly regarding the same topic.” In that situation, I was the first author they grabbed, but the book never saw the shelves as a much bigger name in the (music) business submitted a proposal on the same topic.
My second thought was that common sense isn’t so common. More than ever, likely due to an incessant bombardment of stimuli, due to the merger of technology and a 24/7/365 news society, people are turning off their brains.
They know they should think about the topics, but for so many, just getting through the input, messages, requirements and needs to fulfill our personal daily responsibilities requires an abundance of attention. The result? Common sense is abdicated. We are witnessing countless examples of it being turned over without question.
I started blogging as @SilverDisobedience back in 2017 and now over 4 million people read my thoughts monthly, which are largely focused on “being the boss of our own minds and lives.” Many of my followers tell me that I’m keeping common sense alive.
