Why uncommon sense?

Many of us have heard the familiar dictum "common sense is not common practice" and, unfortunately, the relevance of that phrase is more profound today than ever before.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines common sense as "sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts."

Deconstruction of this definition brings to light, with practically every word, how distorted our society has become to the nature of "sound and prudent judgment," "simple perception," and "facts."

What is "sound judgment?" Some would assert this commonly recognized definition ... "the capacity to assess situations or circumstances shrewdly and to draw sound conclusions" but I would add that these sound conclusions ought to be arrived upon through careful analysis of the reality of the circumstances that can only be suitably conducted by a person with thorough understanding of the variables and for the conclusions of that judgment to be objectively and rationally defensible.

"Sound judgment" rarely involves feelings but can involve instinct, that nearly instantaneous inherent inclination that is based on the subconscious mind's ability to recognize familiarity of the current circumstance to a previous life experience and draw upon that learning to supplement the conscious mind's open scrutiny.

Feelings are not instinct and are too human and fickle to be relied upon when sound judgment is needed. We need not waste any time on what ought to be (feelings) when the clock is ticking and efficient use of time is of the essence.

And what of being 'prudent'? As defined from various sources ... "it is marked by wisdom or judiciousness, shrewd in the management of practical affairs, acting with or showing care and thought for the future." Long ago, wisdom fell out of favor in our society as a revered human character trait developed only through advice of parents or mentors, training, patience, and humility in favor of greed, expedience, popularity, and ease. The future has been sacrificed on the altar of instant gratification at great expense to us all.

Now what of being 'simple'? So many view being simple as only for simpletons only to rue the recognition of how complex, challenging problems are so often and most effectively solved through solutions that exhibit 'elegant simplicity.' Being simple means more about distilling the essence of a situation away from the irrelevant and distracting chaff to assure one's abilities are focused and resources are applied suitably, efficiently, and effectively. Leave the distractions to the simpletons.

And finally, a comment about facts can only begin with one of my all-time favorite quotes penned by the revered U.S. Senator from New York, Daniel Patrick Moynihan — 'You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts.' Also, as one of our Founding Fathers so eloquently stated, 'Facts are stubborn things, and what ever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.' - John Adams

Recognizing, understanding, accepting, and leveraging the unequivocally true realities of a situation or "the facts of the matter," reflects maturity and should be the first step to setting a course of action in any situation or challenge. By doing so, we assure that course of action will be constructive and contributes to our growth in wisdom, to our effective resolution of daily challenges, and brings peace and contentment to our lives.

This is why we have taken the liberty to assert that common sense, no longer the character trait that has been for so long revered and respected, has now morphed into uncommon sense.

This blog site is committed to illustration of those circumstances around us where the application of 'common sense' is no longer common.