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 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 sticky plaster 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 realise 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 realised he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not join the majority and do nothing.
Actually, Common Sense is quite frequently mistaken (at least, at a distance, by those who don't know him well) for Status Quo, an error that Quo does little to correct. Quo, who is not as innocent as he would like to seem, often takes credit for the work of Sense, and claims that any one can see that Common Sense (aka Just Common Sense) is responsible for the way things are, and would be terribly affronted if they were changed. Actually, this is Status Quo protecting himself. Quo often reports what what he wants as being what Common Sense "demands",although those acquainted with Sense himself say that he rarely demands, but makes very reasonable suggestions. The often reported death of Common Sense is more often than not just Status Quo objecting to have to move to one side or another to allow Change to overtake him. Common Sense himself is quite adaptable, not at all intimidated by the threat of Change, or even Change itself, and has survived most of history pretty much unscathed. Dawne
Mrs PP, i don`t know if you wrote this yourself or just copied it,,, but common sense shows this to be a rhetorical piece of writing... Common Sense is just what it says Common ,,,thus it should be What is Found to be Common to all [the society , the comunity, the nation the country] . At some Historical Times it was thought Common sense that women hadno Political rights, since common [male] sense was the rule. In other dark times , white people enslaved other people in the name of Their Common Sense,,, the British went out to Rule many countries since it seemed Common Sense to do so at their time ..... Thus what you mourn isn`t really Common Sense but an outdated Set of Values. Out dated since they served only Certain groups ,,,, and Common sense is to cahnge some of your values if the circumstances are different , have changed ,,,,, Many of your examples, show that values have changed, and Yes !!! sometimes people Missuse the new laws and New accepted values... but in general , you are ENJOYING the results of many generations of Changed values, Thus try to enjoy those and not complain or be cynical of the cahnged values ...
I am esp facinated by your last sentence ,,,,, Too many a time tyrants told the opressed people that their plight was THEIR fault..... Yes many things are our fault , we have to look out when we cross a busy road ,,,,, but how Are WE , or you for that matter, or the people of London , who now have to breath the poison in the air ? Where did they Fault ???? Where was the fault of the 9/11 victims ?
I do agre that it is Common sense, or reasonable thinking, but truth is MODERN Economy , is built on USING , Spending, Credit etc..... It is harsh , but this is the fact . Let`s take your pension, You saved for it, and they made money with it by investing in factories that were [ hopefully] making money by selling something they made....and you get the fruits ..... Societies who don`t invest can`t get further ....
Yes and this BEING in charge, has enabled too many people to ABUSE their power, and misstreat their children ,,, thus it was Common sense to make parents and teachers aware of the fact that they Can`t use their Being in Charge to abuse children.
Regulations are never perfect , but using them well needs some Common sense as well, since they were made with REASON ,,,,
After Generations of TOO many abuse by many persons , it is only reasonable that the pendulum swings to Over sensitivity, in several years ,,, many of the New values will be part of our New Common Accepted Sense and we will all have the feeling , about what is or isn`t accepted behaviour.
This is a very contraversional subject, when we came to UK , we were Horrified to hear that teachers were allowed by law , to Cane children. I think that the Changing Cultural Behaviours need long discusions , within all socities. Teachers Are Only Human , and Teaching methods should change just as all society changed,,,, It is a pity if parents attack teachers , but it is also pity when teachers speak badly to children, or mock them, for any reason .
Yes it isn`t easy to find the golden path between newly administered RIGHTS of all Humans, and Old ideas about what is right or not...
Excuse Me ???? the Ten Commandments are a good base for a society that wants to become a community. But when i read it [ in the original Hebrew] , I sometimes think how Any religious Establishment is really a contradiction of the 2 first commandments. We had a Philosopher who spoke about every Spiritual revolution having a prophet who has the New ideas, and the Clergy who than `freezes this ideas into Laws and regulations` , and by this regulations the clergy in fact are doing the opposite what the prophet wanted..... >hurches became businesses; Any Esatblishment that has Power , is a Business ,,, and what else is new ?
This is the Pedulum swaying after generations of Mishandeling of people, who were driven to steal for food, who were punished by those whose Lavish Life styles were built on Abusing the weaker ones in society.
Yes I agree this is a bit strange .....but Basicly the point is ALL should be acountable to when and how they use any weapon ...
But Common sense looked away for generations, when people got cancer from smoking. And it took a lot of time till those Manufacturrers were acountable for the harm done by smoking !!!!
I am no so sure TRUTH parented Common Sense , See my above examples ,, too many times Common Sense was used to Justify the Needs and comforts of one side of Humanity over the Needs and comforts of other parts ...and Truth just looked away ,,,,
Another terminology that was used to hide what is Good for some and Bad for others ....
I think this is one of the MOST SENSIBLE THINGS ,, we each should know our rights ... would you give up your Voting right ? your medical rights ? Your Civil rights ????? Knowing Your Rights , makes you aware of OTHERS HAVING THE SAME RIGHTS AS WELL !!!!! thus knowing rights is GOOD for society.
Well, this is problematic as well , as i stated above, TOO many peoplre used Blaming as a Controll Method over others , and their first weapon was Installing feelings of Guilt into those they wanted to controll,,,, women were told by men they were to blame for men raping them ,,,,, Children were told they were to be punished 'For their OWN GOOD" .etc,,,,, thus it was good to turn the table and know that sometimes ,,,, Someone else is REally to be balmed ...
We have been up this path with you ..... Yes at somrtimes People can acknowlege and say the TRUE fact,, that they Are Victims, no harm in that. In fact Acknowledging tis fact is a great gate to start healing, not acknowledging it , might cause years of [unneeded] agony.
Here i have done something ,,, i answered your Rhetorical Speech,,,, It isn`t common sense you mourn , it is the changing cultural Athmosphere you are unwilling to accept.... Common Sense is the Leading factor in All those changes you Describe above as having Harmed common sense.......This Changes are the true children of Common Sense , and give us all hope that most people have indeed lots of Common Sense!!!! mirjam
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