Common Sense in the Playground

[Bitzeralisis]

So, recently, I've been hearing a lot from my family about how I have no common sense and that I really have to learn some of it. I completely agree with them on the former statement, but not on the latter — I believe that common sense is hard-wired into your DNA and cannot be changed.

Drag out your bulky science reference books or post huge walls of text to prove me wrong/right! I don't care if it's science or not; just tell me, in your opinion, if you think common sense can be learned or not. Or smack me upside the head and tell me that my lack of common sense is just a placebo effect, either works. :smallwink:

Oh, and you can discuss other aspects of common sense too. :smalltongue:

[Tempest Fennac]

I always thought that common sense could be developed from trying to learn from your mistakes to be honest. I never thought of it as genetic at all.

[SoD]

Common sense? I don't has it! Smart, yes. Friendly, yes. Sensible, noan emphatic no!

Example: trying to block a door, so I lean on it. My friend Laura goes to open it, and I, tauntingly (but not unkindly) laugh at her, suggesting she try all she can, because it won't work (I'm not very strong, but she'd be even weaker). So there I am, putting all my strength against the wall...she leans forward...and turns the handle. The door swings outwards. A moment later, I'm on the ground, with my other friends looking down at me (they'd been waiting for us to open the door).

[averagejoe]

I have encountered few things that cannot be learned, and most of these are specialized biological functions. I have determined this through direct experimentation, i.e. trying to develop things like common sense and then developing them. Common sense, by the way, isn't something we have in measured amounts, it's just a term roughly categorizing certain kinds of intelligence. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me to say that common sense is completely hard wired, because what we think of as common sense encompasses so many things.

[Ethrael]

Something I lack too. I'm smart and a good student but clumsy, forgetful and know almost no rules of thumb. I understand the feeling that it's impossible to learn common sense, I think the only thing you can do is work around it, and survive without it, if that means being very careful and knowing thyself then so be it. :smallsmile:

[thubby]

common sense is born of experience. it's common sense not to put your hand in the toaster, but almost everyone did something similar (be it a socket or w/e) as a kid. and thus, we avoid similar occurrences.
to gain common sense, merely go out into the world and experience the joys of success, and slightly more helpful, the pains of failure.

[Totally Guy]

So, recently, I've been hearing a lot from my family about how I have no common sense and that I really have to learn some of it. I completely agree with them on the former statement, but not on the latter — I believe that common sense is hard-wired into your DNA and cannot be changed.

Looks to me like you're trying to find someone to tell you "you don't need to try as it can't be learned".

Whether it can or not try anyway!

[Dallas-Dakota]

You can gain common sense as a kid, as a adult, its very hard to learn.

But who cares about common sense, eh.:smalltongue:

[Pyrian]

Yeah, common sense is far too poorly defined to categorically state as being learnable or not. Absent-minded behaviors, for example, are often referred to as a lack of common sense, but it's really just not paying attention.

[Gorbash]

I have only one thing to say on the matter:

Common sense is not so common.

[thubby]

Yeah, common sense is far too poorly defined to categorically state as being learnable or not. Absent-minded behaviors, for example, are often referred to as a lack of common sense, but it's really just not paying attention.

paying attention is common sense :smalltongue:

[dish]

You can gain common sense as a kid, as a adult, its very hard to learn.

But who cares about common sense, eh.:smalltongue:

Hmm...
Surely it is common sense to know that if one fails to pay the monthly bills, one is liable to have one's utilities cut off? That's a pretty typically adult thing, since few kids are in charge of household expenditure.
Yet I have known many, many adults who have ended up learning that one the hard way. They generally got the message eventually, so I think common sense can be learned as an adult. And I can think of plenty more 'common-sense-ical' things relating to budgeting, child-rearing, staying in gainful employment, etc, which I've witnessed adults learn.


Absent-minded behaviors, for example, are often referred to as a lack of common sense, but it's really just not paying attention.

Mmm, but in certain situation it is common sense to be paying attention. If I meant to pay the bills but forgot (absent-minded), I'm still going to get cut off. The real world doesn't care about your intentions, only the results of your actions.

[Raiser Blade]

My common sense is tingling.
:smalltongue:

Eh you can "learn" common sense at any age. I find if you take some time to think things through and be considerate you should be fine.

[Prophaniti]

I would say you can 'aquire' common sense. Of course, it can just as quickly flee from you if you don't pay attention. At least, that's been my experience.

[dish]

It seems the consensus is: common sense is something we learn - usually by making mistakes - and the more life-experience we have, then the more chances we have to learn common sense.

So, I think the message to the OP is: try to make each mistake only once, and learn from it.
If your family are nagging at you because you keep making the same mistake again and again (for example, losing your keys, wallet, mobile and bag one after the other) - then they've probably got a point.
If you've only made one mistake (losing your keys) - providing you don't do something similar again - then you've probably already learnt from it.

[Telonius]

I'll put my 2c in with the "too poorly defined" bunch. Sometimes people will say, "You just have no common sense," when what they really mean is, "You're not acting in the way I'm used to, and the things you find important are not things I find important." Other times they mean, "Look, dummy, you're going to get hurt if you keep doing that."

Unfortunately you won't be able to figure out which way they mean, even by asking them. If you ask them what they mean by common sense, they'll just take it as further proof that you have none.

[Pyrian]

Mmm, but in certain situation it is common sense to be paying attention.Okay, but at that point you're stretching the definition to the point where no, it can't be learned. Some people are going to be absent-minded, no matter what, and frequently these dreamers are too valuable to be punished for it.


If I meant to pay the bills but forgot (absent-minded), I'm still going to get cut off. The real world doesn't care about your intentions, only the results of your actions.Knowing perfectly well that I'm never going to be the sort of person who always pays their bills on time, I have my bank pay my bills automatically, within reason. That's sense, common or otherwise. :smallcool:

[dish]

Knowing perfectly well that I'm never going to be the sort of person who always pays their bills on time, I have my bank pay my bills automatically, within reason. That's sense, common or otherwise. :smallcool:

I completely agree. It is common sense to know that if you're the kind of person who forgets to pay the bills it's a good idea to set up a direct debit. (I have been in the same situation myself. :smallsmile:) But still a lot of people seem to take some time to figure it out.

I think we're mainly on the same page here.

[B-Man]

Common sense went out the window by the time they started labelling coffee cups with "content may be (very) hot".

Common sense can by learned in a fashion. It's a shame that the enrolment rate is so low for the courses.

[Mastikator]

The way I think of common sense, which is just rationality and sensibility applied to everyday life, so yeah. You can learn it, but not really like you learn facts. But more like maturing, growing as a person. Attaining common sense is likely to be inevitable as long as you are willing to learn.

[Cyrano]

There is no such thing as "common" sense. There are many different kinds of intelligence, and a bunch of them are classified as common, even though it isn't. Can you learn it? I dunno if you can, and I haven't, but I'm sure that it'll happen eventually.

[Closet_Skeleton]

I had some common sense, but I eated it.

[Zanthur]

My take on common sense is not doing something stupid. Such as, not eating a jelly donut, drinking a beer, talking on your cell phone (without a head set) and trying to tie your shoes at the same time while you are driving. Definatly not common sense. Not saying that having common sense makes you smart... I know plenty of intellegent people who have done stupid things. Such as asking a woman her age. Not a smart thing to do.

[Aristeidis]

Common Sense is an issue that has troubled me too much in my life. I would be saying the most obvious thing and another person just wouldn't get it. I can't understand HOW people can be without common sense. Since it annoys me so, I've observed people who do this and have found out that they are too much into THEIR thoughts, THEIR way of thinking and can't really listen. As someone else already said paying attention is a key. There are people who are beyond help at least at this point in their life, but generally if I take the time and effort to REALLY explain someone what am I saying they usually understand. Common sense is a certain aspect of a subject that anyone (besides real strongheads) can agree on. When a person really listens to what I have to say (when I common sensing - not always!) they will agree with me. But I have noticed that most times that would leave them devastated as they see it some kind of defeat - to "be wrong" on a subject, which is really nothing like that. We always think our way is the best, but it is not always so.
So if I had anything to say to you it would be LISTEN. LISTEN to another without preparing what you will say next. LISTEN. And analyse a situation without prejudging, without preconceived ideas about how things should be. Witness the moment and you will see.
PS. starting this thread means there is hope for you! Best of Luck!:smallwink:

[Occasional Sage]

I have only one thing to say on the matter:

Common sense is not so common.

I phrase this as "Common sense isn't."

It's hilarious watching people try to work through the sentence.

[mangosta71]

What annoys me more is people trying to blame all of their shortcomings on genetics. If they had any idea how DNA works, or even what it is and does, they wouldn't make such statements.

[Moff Chumley]

Common sense makes life dull!
This message has been brought to you by people who wish they had common sense in the playground.

[Pyrian]

For the record, nearly every time somebody has claimed a disagreement was because I wasn't listening to them, I understood them perfectly but they weren't listening to me. :smalltongue: Nonetheless, I find if communication is not working, blaming the listener for not understanding me is kind of a cop-out, since I'm obviously failing to make myself sufficiently clear. Plus, y'know, I can change what I'm saying, but I can't change how other people are listening.

[thubby]

Common sense makes life dull!
This message has been brought to you by people who wish they had common sense in the playground.

having common sense and heeding it are 2 completely different things.

[Rare Pink Leech]

I have only one thing to say on the matter:

Common sense is not so common.

Hear, hear. I have no idea whether common sense is inherent or learned, all I know is that sometimes it seems most of society doesn't have it. Then again, I might be confusing common sense with sheer stupidity or a lack of a self-preservation instinct, but I'm pretty sure they're all related.

[Em Blackleaf]

If you think before you act/speak, you should probably end up being regarded as having some common sense.
At least, that's what I think.
I've been told that I have good common sense. I've also been told that's rare in smart people. So, I'm either dumb or awesome. Haven't decided yet. :smalltongue:

[Lemur]

Aye lie ack Mayan comma an cents bitter.

[Doran_Liadon]

Common Sense is a magical ability given to the succeeders. Or that could be my lack of common sense talking but...

[Nychta]

I think we should rename common sense "sense". I also think it has to do with how long you think about things logically, not to do with learning nor DNA.