The danger of "Common Sense"

@Drosophila (16571)

Ireland

March 13, 2016 9:06am CST

The danger of "common sense" is that we have the expectation that "sense" is shared by nearly all people. I work with people from all walks of life and across multiple countries. The more people I've worked with, the more I realise I shouldn't rely on "common sense". I had to explain to a colleague, why going through another colleague's drawer for paperwork when the person is not there is a breach of HR policy. What was obvious and "common sense" to me, was very new for that colleague! I have many such stories to tell. So, what do you think about "common sense"? Do you have it? Image by: https://www.pinterest.com/tonycavell/laughter/

10 people like this

13 responses

@DianneN (247186)

• United States

13 Mar 16

Either you have it or you don't. I am lucky to have almost all of it, except when I walk into glass doors.

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

13 Mar 16

That's just normal though.. I do it all the time. :D

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@DianneN (247186)

• United States

13 Mar 16

@Drosophila Misery loves company!

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

13 Mar 16

@DianneN so very true! I also bumped my face into a hotel glass window because I thought it was open whilst trying to look outside, almost broke my glasses!

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@TiarasOceanView (70022)

• United States

13 Mar 16

I have great common sense or truly, I would not be living to type here Wendy. It has literally saved my life though out my life. One can have all the degrees in the world, but without common sense, even the most mundane tasks get complicated. I can see what you are saying of course leave other peoples stuff alone lolz..privacy and all.

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

13 Mar 16

It's the same as had to explain another person, "why showing up drunk at work, get's you fired"... /sigh For that particular colleague, the notion that his action might be perceived as "attempt to steal" has never occurred to him.. Irish legislation at a work place says, he could be sued, and the company failing to have a policy to protect another employee's property can also be sued..

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@TiarasOceanView (70022)

• United States

13 Mar 16

@Drosophila Indeed, here also, there are laws against this. I am not sure of them, but I know privacy here is sueable offense.

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

13 Mar 16

@TiarasOceanView I was ever so shocked the person didn't have "common sense" lol

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

13 Mar 16

I gave up on expecting common sense to apply decades ago because experience demonstrated that it was anything but common.

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

13 Mar 16

yep, or I'm just not in the same boat as the "common people"..

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

13 Mar 16

@Drosophila Well that could certainly be the reason in my case because I have always been odd.

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

13 Mar 16

@Asylum right! I just keep coming across "un-common common people" so maybe you're very normal to me xD

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@paigea (36317)

• Canada

14 Mar 16

Common sense isn't all that common I find.

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

14 Mar 16

it is indeed not.. common sense is definitely not for the common at times xD

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@Daljinder (23236)

• Bangalore, India

19 Mar 16

*tsk* Sense is not "common'. Its only found in sensible person. So, of course it is rare.....

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

19 Mar 16

LOL yep you definitely nailed that.. sensible people /sigh!

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@everwonderwhy (7358)

•

27 Jan 17

In your case, your common sense was doing the lawfully right thing: Do not snoop on and steal other people's belongings .

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

30 Jan 17

Right! Which is why it's amazing to me when the same sense did not prevail in my colleague

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@Shavkat (139937)

• Philippines

13 Mar 16

Common sense is not working for some people.

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

13 Mar 16

There is a difference between "common sense" and "no nonsense" I often find people that lacks one, lacks both. And they are not rare either.

@moondebi (1199)

• Bangalore, India

13 Mar 16

The quote is so true! It is tough to handle people who do not have common sense.

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

13 Mar 16

it's exasperating at times for sure.

@Vjvals (906)

• Roseville, California

13 Mar 16

Intuition from above. Sounds more like common courtesy that intruder. Yes that's not common. Illogical emotions can get in the way of common sense.

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

13 Mar 16

Or just completely unawareness.. my colleague in this case has no notion that his action could be perceived as "intent to steal.."

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@marlina (154131)

• Canada

13 Mar 16

Yes, I have common sense and was always known as such a person.

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

13 Mar 16

That's good

@boiboing (13153)

• Northampton, England

13 Mar 16

Common sense and common practice are not always aligned.

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

13 Mar 16

Well said, so true. Sometimes common practice is anything but common sense.

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (317089)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

13 Mar 16

I employ common sense about 98% of the time. I have my moments when common sense leaves me stranded and I do things that just boggles the imagination.

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

13 Mar 16

I think that happens to the best of us!

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• Kolkata, India

13 Mar 16

While I do agree living in a world without common sense is exhausting, it's pretty relative like moral, I think. What appears common sense to you might just not be so to me, and vice versa.

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@Drosophila (16571)

• Ireland

13 Mar 16

That is why.. we tread into dangerous territories when we assume others also have the same "common sense" as we do..