Common Sense In A World Of Relative Truth
Common Sense
We live in a world where nothing is true, and nothing is false anymore. We know our truth, and we won’t let anything or anyone change it. Our world is one of relative truth, where common sense is not so common.ย
But is it really beneficial to us to live in such a reality? Is having our personalized truth what we actually need and what helps us move forward to achieve our goals? Perhaps, it is stopping our growth and keeping us where we are now, keeping us in a “movie plot” where our story fits what makes us feel comfortable but disconnects us and pushes us away from the rest of the world.
common sense
noun
~ good sense and sound judgment in practical matters.
Example: "Common sense is not so common."
What is our moral compass? What keeps it calibrated? How do we make decisions? What determines how we react to a situation?
I have been asking myself these questions a lot lately. So often nowadays, I find myself talking to people about common things, and at some point in the conversation, I realize that I am defending truths that I feel are fundamental to having a safe and thriving society and should be shared by all.
A Case Study
To put things in context. A simple example would be whether stealing from rich people is okay. The case presented to me was: if the amount being stolen was not big, and the person didn’t even notice it, then it was okay because they would never need it, use it, or even know it was taken away from them.
In my opinion, a crime is a crime, but in my opponent’s opinion, it wasn’t because no one was going to get hurt. In this case, my and their truth were two completely different realities. How did we come this far away from each other in our thinking?
When I was a little girl, it seemed that people knew right from wrong, and people knew good from the bad. It appeared that individuals knew what was beneficial for the community and what was helpful. Not everybody liked it or wanted it to be this way, but the principles were there, and even those who disagreed with the status quo wouldn’t dispute it. Nowadays, the reality is very different.ย People don’t do reality checks very often. They don’t draw decisions based on facts and past experiences but on trends set by social media and celebrities.
Tips On Using Common Sense In A Sensible Way
- Focus on the specific reality of the situation, not generally how things are. Every situation is different.
- Use your past experiences to bring knowledge into this particular situation. If you don’t have it, ask someone who went through a similar experience.
- Consider the possible outcome with all pros and cons. Not all outcomes might be in our favor.
- “Feeling” about a situation is good, but “thinking” is better. Try to remove the feelings for a moment and see the situation in a more rational way. Removing yourself from the story is the best way to do so. Think of it as happening to someone else. What would you have advised them to do?
- Don’t rely on social media for the answer. Most of what you see there is not real and can mislead you into making the wrong decision.
Test your common sense level in the YouTube video below:
7 Benefits of Using Common Sense
Common sense improves:
- Productivity
- Problem-solving and decision-making skills
- Customer service and customer satisfaction
- Common courtesy
- Morale and increases self-esteem
- Truth, values, and simplicity of life
- Seeing things as they are and doing things as they should be done
*(republished from Common Sense University)
What is your experience with using common sense? How do you make your decisions, and what calibrates your belief system? Are you prepared to change it if it is not beneficial and helpful to others? I would love to hear from you. (contact me)
