During my younger days and even till date, I have heard these words common sense too many times to be numbered. Then as kids, when we misbehaved, our African parents would ask ”Don't you have common sense?” This was not a question to which an answer was expected; rather it was a question that should help you reflect on that misbehaviour and turn over a new leaf.
Personal idea
I personally define common sense to be good sense/ judgement. The kind of sense that makes you do things the proper way. The kind of sense that makes you proactive to take initiative of something before you are told to do so. That to me is common sense.
For an illustration, when cooking rice, common sense requires that water be used and not sand or oil. So when a person decides to cook rice with oil (I don't mean jollof rice), they are not operating with common sense.
A second illustration is with a man who fails to plan for his wife's delivery. Then when she's in labour, he runs helter skelter for money to pay hospital bills. The man had nine months to prepare.
Another, is for a student who refused studying before examination time but that student is seen with tons of books one hour to the examination….how foolish!*
Do all have common sense?
I doubt that everyone has got this common sense. Based on the happenings around the world, it shows that common sense is lacking in some particular areas. Check out the hurtings, the pains, the abuse and the betrayals caused and you will know that some persons don't have common sense.
A lady came to a friend of mine for financial help with a loan. She pleaded and pleaded and finally my friend lent her the money. This lady said that she would pay it back by month end and my friend agreed.
The month ended and this lady did not come to pay back the loan. My friend called her phone but she refused to pick up the calls. After many attempts of trying to reach this lady on her phone, my friend used an unknown number to call her and she picked up.
My friend demanded her money back but instead of this lady pleading for an extension, she spoke rudely to my friend on the phone. Claiming that my friend was disturbing her life and peace. She then said that she would pay the money in installments.
In summary, this lady used six months to pay back the loan she begged my friend for.
When my friend narrated all that happened to me, I immediately said ” The lady does not have common sense because she has just blocked her way to further help my friend in the future”.
Things like this irk me as I find it disgusting. Common sense at play here would have been that she would have communicated to my friend and sought out an extended period. That way my friend won't be pissed off and might even give her a reduction but she blew it all up because she lacked common sense.
** No wonder it is said that common sense is not common**
3 considerations
For me to consider a person and assess if he or she has common sense, I would use these 3 yardsticks….
#1. Ability to think fast even when under pressure.
Not everything in life comes on a platter of gold. Some things will require wits and effort working together. A person with common sense should be able to come with hope, useful solutions to problematic issues even while under pressure.
#2. Ability to make sound decisions.
The ability to make sound and useful decisions that will benefit not just the person but others as well, shows me that a person has common sense. Also he or she should be able to make good use of their time.
#3. To be self aware.
In life, there's a law of cause-and-effect. This law simply lets us know that whatever we sow, we reap. This is mostly expressed in relationships. A person with common sense will understand that his or her actions/inactions can have a ripple effect later on. He or she usually thinks of the consequences before he or she makes that move.
Common sense is not about being book-smart or following intuition. Neither does it come from expertise. It is just having good sense to do what is right at the right and in the right way.
Thank you all for reading... Shalom
Images are mine.