Common Sense

When Thomas Paine wrote his famous pamphlet in 1775 (published in 1776 it became an immediate success. This was due as much to his marketing campaign as to its content. He sat forth clearly his ideas concerning separating from England and created a text that was read and reread during the revolutionary period. It was also controversial, with some more conservative revolutionary leaders, such and John Adams called it “so democratical, without any restraint or even an attempt at any equilibrium or counter poise, that it must produce confusion and every evil work.”

Nevertheless, according to Wikipedia, it “was sold and distributed widely and read aloud at taverns and meeting places. In proportion to the population of the colonies at that time (2.5 million), it had the largest sale and circulation of any book published in American history.^[3] As of 2006, it remains the all-time best-selling American title and is still in print today.”

The textbook description of “common sense” is: “common sense refers to having sound judgment, not necessarily based on specialized knowledge.”

An example might be the news we have received about the pandemic, from day one. Virtually everything that has been said about Covid-19, one way or another, has been proven incorrect. Scientists, politicians, government officials, all have made statements that have been changed, retracted, or proven to be outright wrong. They have flown in the face of simple common sense.

Oh, you might say, as more information became available, the dialogue changed to fit that information. Perhaps, but in fact, those with basic common sense, looking at the situation could see through the actions. For example, the arrest of a surfer off the coast using the resources of half a dozen police and boats. It flies in the face of common sense.

Another example might be people riding alone in cars with masks, or riding a bicycle, or jogging. Where is basic common sense. Why was it OK to go to Costco, or Home Depot, but not the local bodega. Why were liquor stores allowed to stay open but clothing stores were not. Why did one have to wear masks when driving through a Jack in the Box to pick up a burger (they were behind plexiglass and you were in the car.) Common Sense.

I know I’m treading on this ice here, but I have not been able to get my mind around allowing boys who say they are girls to participate in girls’ sports or use girl’s locker rooms. Can’t anyone use come common sense.

Defund the police is another one. The majority of crime takes place in minority communities. The police are the only thing that stands between the average person living there and the gangsters. Removing the police would only hurt those people. Common Sense.

Increase unemployment insurance to more than a person could make working 8 to 5. Businesses cannot get enough staff to run their concerns properly. Remove the unemployment insurance increase. Businesses now have a pool of potential workers to call upon. Common Sense.

I could go on but you get the point. We have lost our ability to trust our common sense. How do we get that back?

Believe what you see, and not what you hear. Stop listening to the media (it is wrong virtually every time.) Live your   life based on common sense. I say you will not go wrong.

JVH