Common Sense

The term “common sense” is used frequently, mostly due to the the “lack of it” in other people. The majority of people think they have it and others don’t. While common sense has been studied as far back as Aristotle, and various definitions or applications can be noted, here is my definition. “Common sense is the ability to solve problems by applying a wide variety of experiences or learning to accomplish or complete a new task, or the ability to integrate or adapt by applying prior knowledge from a variety of experience or disciplines.

This being said, most people do get along fine in the world. Each finds their niche and have their own way of doing things. But here’s where the problem lies; In religion and other superstitions the “common sense” passed down from generation to generation stunts human potential. The Common knowledge that is part of the molding of common sense is off the mark and makes rational decision making impossible. I once had an eleven year old foster daughter whose mother was a mentally ill and superstitious religious woman. The girl could not make a rational decision of any kind, and often quoted her mother about various topics. It was a real life waterboy situation. Her baseline was skewed with certified confusion, only not to her. In her mind we were wrong, mom was right.

Raising children in superstition and religion can be an awkward awakening when actually faced with reality, where what you know conflicts with the real world. It can be a psychological mindbend, and for many the only way to swim out is complete reversal and abandonment of the old ways. One foot in and, one foot out is a forever unbalanced act of will.

Here is a pretty good wiki page about the history and concepts of common sense.