The death of common sense

Never in my seminars would you hear me tell my participants to have an open mind. If the mind were too open the brains would fall out. I would rather have them think critically. Critical thinking is not being taught in school and it is certainly not being practiced today.

This is why slogans are accepted as nuggets of wisdom and clichés are mistaken as acceptable life philosophy and then one thing suffers -- a person named Common Sense. The truth is that common sense is not so common anymore.

My brother-in-law Felix Ong, a retired American Marine officer sent me this material that must have been obtained through Stuart George, a presenter on BBC Radio Stoke’s Mid-Morning show, and as you listen to this or have an opportunity to read this you would probably agree.

Here is the material:

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 can earn) and reliable 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 that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. 

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the 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 could 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, 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, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason. 

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; 

I Know My Rights I Want It Now 

Someone Else Is To Blame 

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.

Oh man, this is powerful stuff! We need to bring back common sense and make it common. We need to remind our lawmakers to have common sense, parents to model it and teachers to teach it.

And all these will have to start with me.

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