How would you define "common sense? "

Can you name a "common sense" situation, (preferably experienced or witnessed)?

A person I work with, stated that he doesnt like the phrase "common sense." I think it might have something to his childhood. This guy is an extremely intelligent individual, which might further explain his adversion to this statement. Though, the more I think about it, the more I can understand his viewpoint.

Most of the things we do or dont do, because of life experiences. Since we all have different experiences, the term "common sense" is used more within smaller sets of individuals. What is common sense to a mechanic is completely foriegn to an lawyer. Imagine placing a person that has had no experience with technology and stick him in the middle of Times Square. Do you think he will have the wherewithal not to get himself killed by those metal beasts with round legs?

Given that, how is it really "common?"

 

I think a person with good common sense is quick on their feet and doesn't make careless mistakes in the day to day...

However, as we all know, a person can be extremely smart and have little or no common sense. Those people forgo the "common knowledge" that normal people use so frequently and adapt to a more advanced thought process that often gives the impression that they are on another planet sometimes. Very few extremely intelligent people have the luxury of fitting in at a young age. It isn't until much older in life that intelligent people can (but not always) shed their awkwardness and exhibit that which they were gifted.

For example, the the father of my friend. My friend is now a successful physician with a seemingly normal life. Her father, however, is far from normal. He has an estimated (psychologically evaluated) IQ over 180. He can in no way shape or form keep a job for more than a few weeks before he goes completely ape-****. It is basically an accepted fact that he will not operate normally in life. He is without a doubt the smartest person I have ever met in my entire life. Last time I heard, he was working at a diaper factory, assembling adult diapers.

 

I think common sense is alot of what you take out of your childhood. Like not puting your finger in a pencil sharpener, or not touching money then touching your mouth, or dont throw garbage out of the car window when your driving down the road.

An example would just have to bethat my roommates will never lock our house if they are the last onoe to leave. I am always the first to go in the a.m. and when i get home I am first and alot of the times I can just walk straight in. You would think they'd have the common sense to lock the damn door.

 

My ex brother in law is a wealthy head of a publishing company in England. He went to the finest private schools there and finished with a degree from Oxford. He is extremely successful and owns homes in Tuscany, New York, London and a country estate in Oxfordshire. There is no denying his intelligence but as to common sense...

We spent a weekend with him at his place in the country while his wife was abroad, so he was palying host. At dinner time he was rushing around the kitchen looking very flustered. He said to my ex, "I don't know what to do! There is this open pack of spaghetti and a new pack. There is not enough in the open pack for all of us and we don't need an entire new pack, what shall I do?"

My ex replied, "Why don't you use all of the open pack and then take from the new pack as much as you need and then reseal it?" He paused, and then like Basil Fawlty shouted, "Brilliant!"

I would say he rates low on anybody's common sense scale!

 

I think common sense is a combination of knowledge and logic.

knowledge is gain from life experiance and observation, logic is being able to derive answers and possible sinerios from the knowledge you have.

such as, someone mentioned a pencil sharpener, even though you may have never seen what happens when someone puts there finger in one, you still can figure out its a bad idea.

you arrived at that conclusion from the knowledge that the shapener works from spinning blades that cut peices of the pencil off and the logic that it could also cut pieces of you finger off as well.

people that lack common sense lack one or both of those 2 parts. some kids never learn how a pencil sharpener works, probably out of a lack of curiosity (because the "no one ever told me excuse is BS when you are a kid, ask, or figure it out, thats why kids ask so many F-ing questions, because they dont know yet)

the other kids who sticks it in there is one of 2 things, either too slow to arrive at the conclusion that what cuts a pencil will cut you, or is so curious that even though they know what it does, and what it can do to them, they still have to see for sure if it will cut them.

very very smart people can often screw up the logic step because they either over look something or over think it. they can plug to many factors into the equation that the answer comes out wrong (or at least not the normal one) such as, my finger is not as long and skinny as a pencil so it won't reach the blades. (which is followed by their need to test their hypothiese, and thus the finger goes in the sharpener)

and the common sence between a lawer and a mechenic, that is why you usually specify, "its common sense for a mechenic" unless its two mechenics talking about another mechinic, then its just understood.

yes, the knowledge part is relitive to who we are and what we have learned, but the logic part is not, and if you don't know ask, or figure it out.

 

So, one day, I was a shift manager for a pizza chain. One of the delivery drivers (friend) comes in and he starts throwing a pocket knife at the wall. After a couple of attempts, it sticks. I was like, "cool, let me try."

I dont know what happened to the logic, but it wasnt until there was about 30-50 knife holes in the drywall when it dawns on me...maybe we shouldnt be doing this.

About 3 months went buy before the unit manager noticed the holes.