The Uncommonness of Common Sense

"For God's sake, use your common sense!"

There were four of us, only one of Mum.  Consequently, she said this a LOT.  Her central nervous system had maternally evolved to such a stage that it could recognise situations of gross, childhood buffoonery without even bothering the brain,  bypassing it altogether with a reflex arc.   So when one of us stumbled into her arms snivelling for comfort after tumbling from the washing line without the aid of a safety net, "Where was your common sense?" was dispensed as a matter of course, along with a brisk rub, a quick kiss, and a teaspoon of

mixed in a glass of squash to make it fizzy. 

But what is common sense?  Some of us agree that using your common sense means accessing a universal vault of  blindingly OBVIOUS conclusions; conclusions so obvious that to reach them barely needs any brain activity whatsoever.  We know without thinking that climbing an electricity pylon in a storm is inadvisable, that texting while drunk is a VERY BAD idea, and that getting a tattoo of the name of your beloved inscribed across your chest automatically leads to an acrimonious split and some tearfully deft editing. 

In the same way, my mother knew that our garden wasn't the Grand Canyon, the washing line a tightrope, and that none of us was Phillipe Petit; putting all of these factors together equalled an accident waiting to happen. 

Common sense here is defined by a basic, inescapable logic.

But what about that other definition of common sense — the logic of the common people, of the majority?  Bearing in mind this type of reasoning is applied by politicians and lynch mobs alike, surely we're right to remain wary of it.  Bearing in mind this type of reasoning sees

as hot favourites to win the 'X Factor', we are right to nurture a healthy suspicion with regard to those who smugly say "I'm only using my common sense". 

And they're always smug these people.  Always. 

The trouble I have with this definition is that in reality it is sense-lite, the only thing going for it is the power of numbers.  It seeks to preserve the status quo, using arguments such as "That's how it's always done" or "Just because...";  a refuge of the scared and timid when faced with change or a differing viewpoint.  The unthinking side of logic.

The reason I've been deliberating these semantics arose from an article in The Times by Caitlin Moran, 'The Joy of Obliquely Being Accused of Being a Paedophile'. It provoked ENORMOUS reader reponse in the form of hostile on-line comments. 

I won't reproduce the article for you here, just follow the link above, but these comments highlight the very real difference in how common sense is interpreted.  I was in the painfully small minority supporting the Morans because I tend to see things with an objective logic.  But clearly the majority view the world through more subjective eyes.

I'm not saying I'm right  — there's that minority I mentioned, after all — but if you have a political party promising to lead the country under the banner of common sense, it's good to be clear just what definition is being applied.  And possibly to be just a little bit afraid if it chooses to create national policy based on the fickle and subjective nature of the pitchfork-waving masses. 

And as for the definition of logic?  Well, for God's sake, use your common sense...