Nigel wrote:
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.
It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Panadol, sun lotion or a Band Aid to a student - but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses, and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in
her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason.
He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm A Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do
nothing.
The Scottish reply
The Gaffer says:
I am happy to disclose that reports of the death of common sense (CS) were premature. It was simply a human misunderstanding. One of the problems with most of us is that we tend to be irrational in our expectations. By that, I mean we expect other people to behave logically, even though we seldom do it ourselves. I think the most irrational thing we do is to expect bureaucracy of any kind to harbour common sense.
Contrary to popular mythology, common sense is not. The truth is, the author expected to find "CS", as she dubs him, in a place where he has never resided. Indeed he cannot possibly exist in bureaucracy anymore than seed can germinate in pure dry sterile sand. Bureaucracy is sterile. It always has been. It always will be. Bureaucracy is a fortress of policy and rules. Policy and rules are the final refuge of the inept. CS is a paradigm of reason and thought. How could he survive in a fortress of policy and rules? CS and bureaucracy are mutually exclusive. It has always been thus. It is in the nature of bureaucracy to belie reason.
Not to worry. I have noticed that CS is alive and well in the working peasantry where he always lived. This is the area where common sense is really common. He belongs to the common man. He is the tool of the common man, sometimes the only tool. It has always been thus. CS is required for survival in the peasantry. Poor working people have to count on him every day. They must be creative to live.
CS and the peasantry exist in a symbiotic relationship. They require each other for survival. So long as we have a creative peasant class, CS will survive. Without a creative peasant class, mankind will not survive. That is what I believe. As to that, we may be walking the razors edge, but we are not over it yet. CS, logic, and reason are the under structure of creativity.
If you want to see common sense in action, go to a DIY store and watch the customers. It's like watching a pantomime at work.
One time I saw a man holding up a piece of wood and twisting it and turning it. He put the wood down and looked at it. He started making forms in the air with both of his hands. He picked up a differently shaped piece of wood and he went through a similar activity, as though he were building something in the air. He put both pieces of wood in his cart and went to a place that had metal straps and holders.
With the metal stuff, he went through a similar building exercise. Finally he selected several pieces of metal. Then he went back to the wood. He put one piece back and took two other pieces. He continued like this until he seemed satisfied with his choices.
This was CS in action. I have done the same thing myself. That man was designing something he needed, out of other things which were available. I wish I could have followed him home. I would bet that he went home and built something. He built it without ever consulting a blueprint or a bureaucrat.
Here is something else. When he finished, he would be very proud of what he had built and he would show it to his wife. Then he would use it. His wife and family would be proud too, whether they said so or not!
LONG LIVE COMMON SENSE!!
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