An Exploration of Common Sense

by melodiccolor Sun Jul 21, 2013 3:27 pm

This was inspired by a question on our Facebook page. What is common sense to you? How do you define it? Do you consider it common in people or uncommon?

I've always wondered this; when I was in my 20s I had people in my parents generation tell me I had none and I had the most of anyone they'd ever seen, so to different people it meant very different things. So what does it mean to you?

by frmthhrt Mon Jul 22, 2013 9:58 pm

Common sense has become uncommon. Urbanization has disconnected us from the land, from basic principles of survival , and from many learned problem solving skills. Common sense should be a measure of intelligence...

by melodiccolor Mon Jul 22, 2013 9:59 pm

So what exactly is common sense to you? I've seen it defined in many ways.

by frmthhrt Mon Jul 22, 2013 10:01 pm

Defining common sense is more complicated. I would say it is good judgement and problem solving ability...probably with a modicum of intuition.

by melodiccolor Mon Jul 22, 2013 10:11 pm

OK, I thought about it and really common sense is caring that something is done right and striving to do that. It has to do with attitude, not aptitude. That surprised me but when I examined things closer, it came down to that.

Sometimes the cause is a narrow view, that since things were always done in a certain way, they should regardless of results. So what they care about is how something is done rather than how it comes out. The people who claimed I lacked common sense defined it as things done in a certain way and since I was more innovative, it was just wrong and so I must lack common sense to them. This connects to where the care is placed, so to me it still is caring that something is done right in regards to results, not process.

by RBM Tue Jul 23, 2013 9:37 pm

melodiccolor wrote:OK, I thought about it and really common sense is caring that something is done right and striving to do that. It has to do with attitude, not aptitude. That surprised me but when I examined things closer, it came down to that.

Sometimes the cause is a narrow view, that since things were always done in a certain way, they should regardless of results. So what they care about is how something is done rather than how it comes out. The people who claimed I lacked common sense defined it as things done in a certain way and since I was more innovative, it was just wrong and so I must lack common sense to them. This connects to where the care is placed, so to me it still is caring that something is done right in regards to results, not process.

Common sense is a misnomer. Period.

Process is a determinant in what range of results are even possible. 'Done in a certain way' is recognition of that fact.

I'm not sure 'they care how' more than the absolute result. I'm more inclined to suspect this is your projection. The best way to determine the above statement is a matter of detail in real life, with lots and lots and lots of variable, to control for.

From your OP, your statement gives no context to make a meaningful comment to.

Possibly 'older people' were right, possibly not.

I'm in the position, recently, as an ad hoc dirt-level manager, called a 'leadman' as an 'older person' (actually the oldest, per se) with lost of skills and expertise from different area's to bring to bear in this role with a workforce that, generally, numbers-wise, are barely literate, non-skilled in tool use, and barely literate in fundamental knowledge of physics; they are analogue illiterates, instead digital adepts, and they think that those two states can be equated.

They can't.

When I demonstrate a process to build something, I know, down to the smallest detail what all the loads of variables can result. And I know, a priori, it will be acceptable in this environment.

A change of process, since it's a limited environment, has limited different results. I also generally can tell what those results WILL BE, a priori. This infuriates many. This is common sense to me, not to them, though.

by melodiccolor Wed Jul 24, 2013 1:40 am

Looks like I hit a button RBM. But I stand by what I said. Those comments were even made in the same week and they were over things like cooking and cleaning and general functionality stuff--not precise engineering. I always tended to evaluate the most efficient way to get something done well and often it flew in the face of what some considered the right way to do something general. One such person was a woman I boarded with while going to college. I was a working college student with a full load so I found ways to use my time very efficiently and wisely and I was very contentious about all I did. Yet she accused me of having lots of book smarts but no common sense, of being lazy cause I took the downtime I needed too. I was anything but--however neither of us knew about what HSP was as the term hadn't been coined nor what it was written about yet under any term. My mother and another woman about that same time admired me for having the most common sense of anyone they knew.

Denying expertise on something requiring it such as a process to build something to do something your own way is hardly "common sense" but some need to learn that way.

I fully agree, common sense is a misnomer, I thought I made that clear in my last post.

by RBM Thu Jul 25, 2013 5:02 pm

Not a mere 'button', but something I have put a lot of conscious thought into from work all the way up the levels to how one lives life on into metaphysics that begets life.

But, to hone it down to 'cooking and cleaning and general functionality stuff', this generally falls into the area of different people with different tastes which I can see lots and lots more grey, than black or white.

Older people are the obvious group, to get ossified. As such differences for them - no matter how minute - are amplified.

The less obvious group is my work environment, where certain personality types that are more conducive to ossification tend to get attracted, or even forced into, job wise. (I'm thinking of Meyers-Brigg in the work place, here)

by melodiccolor Thu Jul 25, 2013 7:42 pm

RBM wrote:Not a mere 'button', but something I have put a lot of conscious thought into from work all the way up the levels to how one lives life on into metaphysics that begets life.

But, to hone it down to 'cooking and cleaning and general functionality stuff', this generally falls into the area of different people with different tastes which I can see lots and lots more grey, than black or white.

Older people are the obvious group, to get ossified. As such differences for them - no matter how minute - are amplified.

The less obvious group is my work environment, where certain personality types that are more conducive to ossification tend to get attracted, or even forced into, job wise. (I'm thinking of Meyers-Brigg in the work place, here)

Surprisingly, I've noted ossification has more to do with personality type, issues being dealt with (or not) that control and cultural background than with age. I have seen it in all age groups and also the lack. Those who are ossified, I agree, any differences get amplified and rejected summarily.

The only thing I see with age is more time for routine to be firmly established due to a longer lifetime of experience. Those who are not ossified are able with changing circumstances to change easily no matter how long they've had routines.

Two cases in point; I sure don't seem ossified, do you? We both are older.

by RBM Sat Jul 27, 2013 4:01 pm

MC wrote:Two cases in point; I sure don't seem ossified, do you? We both are older

This 'exception' if you will, is due to Big Picture dynamics, per Tom Campbell's explanation, I would say.

Firstly recognize the mechanism of evolution.

Then note the mechanics of Reincarnation. The details, it is said, allows one to remember Big Picture lessons at each biologic death over to the next life, but forget Little Picture lessons, at the same time. The latter would be about EGO concerns for example. Or how many toys you accumulated before your biologic death.

Some examples about Big Picture lessons would be anything known generally as Psi.

Sometimes the Larger Consciousness System sees a benefit to it's evolution, so a youngster remembers a previous life; and then parents treat it as credible and research available public data to confirm the youngsters memories.

by Zen Tue Dec 03, 2013 11:32 pm

I think common sense is like weird combination of courtesy and a solution that comes from detatching from a situation and not trying to control it so you can make efficient decisions.
It's kind of lighthearted and funny to watch overly complicated weird solutions when you can let it go.

If I dissect the exact wording of "common sense" I can go in circles for ages arguing with myself about what it means so in the spirit of it, I'm just going with the least complicated explanation and letting it go without over thinking LOL.

by melodiccolor Tue Dec 03, 2013 11:34 pm

How does courtesy relate to common sense?

by Zen Tue Dec 03, 2013 11:43 pm

melodiccolor wrote:How does courtesy relate to common sense?

Like you don't park sideways in a verticle parking space because it not only risks damaging your car, is harder to do, but it screws up everybody else trying to park the usual way.
You don't run a red light and shout "fuck you bitches" out in a megaphone because you can crash and it's illegal.
... yeah I saw somebody do that.

Things like that it's common sense not to do. Lol

by Reamsie Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:11 pm

Since courtesy isn't a requirement of exercising common sense, I would consider any courtesy that results more of a by-product or benefit. The direct immediate reasons to not go through red lights screaming obscenities with a megaphone is so that you don't kill yourself, someone else or crash your vehicle. I would consider not engaging in activities that could kill someone else beyond just common courtesy. However, the secondary benefit of stopping for red lights allows all drivers to take their turn to cross intersections in a civilized, orderly manner which is common courtesy.

To answer the original question: I think common sense is when a person reacts to a situation in a way that any reasonable person would.

by Zen Wed Dec 04, 2013 7:38 pm

Reamsie wrote:Since courtesy isn't a requirement of exercising common sense, I would consider any courtesy that results more of a by-product or benefit. The direct immediate reasons to not go through red lights screaming obscenities with a megaphone is so that you don't kill yourself, someone else or crash your vehicle. I would consider not engaging in activities that could kill someone else beyond just common courtesy. However, the secondary benefit of stopping for red lights allows all drivers to take their turn to cross intersections in a civilized, orderly manner which is common courtesy.

To answer the original question: I think common sense is when a person reacts to a situation in a way that any reasonable person would.

What counts as a reasonable person? (is shot)

by Reamsie Thu Dec 05, 2013 1:04 am

Zen wrote:What counts as a reasonable person? (is shot)

We could so start a whole new thread just on that one question. A reasonable person reacts or behaves the same toward a situation as any other typical member of a community would behave or react in that same or similar situation. There are of course variables (such as knowledge or skill set) to this and we are using it as a reference to common sense.

Just to throw out an example, a person witnesses a car accident. The response of a reasonable person is to call 911 not only to report the accident to police but to also get medical assistance for the occupants of the vehicle (s)if necessary (common sense). However, for a reasonable person who witnessed the accident who is also a medical professional (doctor, nurse, paramedic) it would be common sense to go beyond calling 911 and attempt to give whatever immediate help and aid they could.

Hopefully some of that made sense.

by Zen Thu Dec 05, 2013 1:12 am

Reamsie wrote:
Zen wrote:What counts as a reasonable person? (is shot)
We could so start a whole new thread just on that one question. A reasonable person reacts or behaves the same toward a situation as any other typical member of a community would behave or react in that same or similar situation. There are of course variables (such as knowledge or skill set) to this and we are using it as a reference to common sense.

Just to throw out an example, a person witnesses a car accident. The response of a reasonable person is to call 911 not only to report the accident to police but to also get medical assistance for the occupants of the vehicle (s)if necessary (common sense). However, for a reasonable person who witnessed the accident who is also a medical professional (doctor, nurse, paramedic) it would be common sense to go beyond calling 911 and attempt to give whatever immediate help and aid they could.

Hopefully some of that made sense.

Yeah I think so LOL
good job XD

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