A teenager bought her first car and drove it for 15000 km. One day her dad asked about the vehicle. He asked if any major repair or maintenance is coming up. He wanted to help her out with the costs. She didn’t know that a car needs regular oil changes, filter replacements, and other preventative maintenance. The conversation became awkward. She didn’t know what her dad was asking and he became increasingly frustrated that she is being reckless and this would lead to costly repairs. After all it is common sense to get regular maintenance done on your vehicle. Is it? How would someone who never dealt with such things know about it. Just as the dad doesn’t have any “common sense” knowledge of makeup, she doesn’t have “common sense” knowledge of car maintenance. Now that she owns a vehicle, she will learn and develop common sense over time.
Common sense is perhaps the most nonsensical term ever invented. It implies having knowledge of something by default. Is it possible to know something by default. When we are born, all we know is how to cry, drink, and poop. Everything else is taught. So anything other than these three activities cannot be considered common sense.
When people use the term “common sense”, it is often an expression of frustration. How could you not know about this? This is so simple, so elementary, and everyone else knows about it. In reality most people do not. Someone has to teach them. Instead of complaining about not having common sense, why not help the person. Explain your common sense on the topic.
In this situation, the dad should take the time to tell her daughter about vehicle maintenance. She probably doesn’t know how to change a flat tire. Why not teach her that before she is stranded on the side of a road.
The next time you are frustrated with someone’s lack of “common sense”, help the person acquire common sense. Teach and demonstrate because there is nothing common about common sense.