Practically every day we are told to use common sense like it's the most valuable asset we have. Yet, every day we also hear "there is no such thing as common sense anymore." The "anymore" part is often added-on and implies that once upon a time there was more common sense than there is nowadays. This, of course, is a perception and open to debate on multiple levels (consider that once upon a time it was common sense that the earth was flat). Add to this the complication that what might be a common sense perception to one person or group or era seems absolutely crazy to another and vice-versa (consider that many people believe God is an elderly but muscly white man with white hair and beard in a white robe and a nasty mood who had a white son). Or, what might be a common sense perception in one circumstance is carelessly stupid in another (think of speeding through town trying to get an injured child to the hospital versus speeding through town high on something like alcohol, amphetamines or godlike self-importance). On one hand if enough people who have enough power support the merits of a belief or value then, regardless of its accuracy or consequences, whatever it is will be perceived and accepted as common behavior (think of racism). On the other hand, sensible behavior is full of instantaneous transformations depending on the Potentials, Relationships, Experiences and resulting Perceptions of each individual story (think of Rosa Parks). Add to all those circumstances the reality that whenever beliefs or values become common sense perceptions they are often blindly accepted as "just the way it is." This chronic lack of examination always creates a slippery slope because it fails to serve both common and individual sensibilities (think of health care or the food pyramid). It seems to me that the "common" element puts the individual into a constant relationship with otherness but the "sense" element originates in the moment with the interior formulations of the individual. Common sense, therefore, exists as an untenable contradiction because common eventually leans toward biasing and obfuscating "sense" while the motivations of the individual eventually lean toward negating "common."
These two words, "common" and "sense," though they can't logically be used together, are nevertheless both reliant on one essential quality: Self-respect. Unfortunately, too many believe and value the societal norm that respect is achieved by creating some level of fear. This belief is a prime example of how the common element biases and obfuscates individual sense. The way I see it, Self-respect is impossible to attain by using fear as a tactic because fear causes emotional desperation. And whenever there is emotional desperation one's original positive regard for relationship with Self and all otherness is poised to become withdrawn, manipulative, rebellious or dangerously compliant to the insidiousness of what's considered common and sensible. These situations then mix together to cause one's ego-self (the daily interactions) and one's deeper psychological Self (character and calling) to become disconnected from and oppositional to each other. This internal experience and relationship of disconnected opposition tends to create behaviors that are often perceived as "common" and "sensible" but at their core are emotionally desperate for Self-respect.
I submit that disconnected opposition and the resulting emotional desperation is a painfully accurate description of common sense nowadays. Without Self-respect the "common" is subject to become an undiscovered, unexplored, disconnected and meaningless waste of Potential (consider the violence of "screen time"). Without Self-respect the intuitive "sense" is no longer trusted making one subject to emotionally desperate and destructive belonging needs (think of suicide bombers, gangs and cults). Those resulting behaviors are then judged by those wielding power as lacking "common sense." This perspective then justifies further attacks on Self-respect in an unexamined and violent effort to change behavior and enforce respect (think of the rampant uses of punishment). But that hypocritical approach is exactly what caused the emotionally desperate and destructive behavior in the first place! Under the circumstances, it seems the most common and sensible effort we should all be making - as individuals, as families, as communities, states, nations and citizens of the world - is an intentional reexamination and resistance of the mindless contrivances known as common sense.
(Note: I haven't posted in a while because I've been busy working on other projects.)
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