Common Sense Both Does and Doesn't Exist
A Patreon exclusive diving into the morality of what is and isn’t self-evident
Everyone talks about "common sense" — logic that leans on transparent reasoning that is supposed to be self-evident. It is incredibly obvious, and consequently, people who violate it are frequently labeled as worthy of ridicule. "They have no common sense" is a shorthand for an unserious person. When a political opponent, colleague, or even a friend violates common sense, it is not only frustrating but a sign of incompatibility, as you have to explain fundamental concepts that they should "get."
Yet, for something so fundamental to the human experience, it is also incredibly uncommon. "Common sense is as rare as genius," Ralph Waldo Emerson once remarked. And he was by no means alone with this sentiment. Voltaire famously is quoted for saying something that roughly translates to "Common sense is not so common." There is an othering element to this idea that how one should look at the world is obvious, but that perception is only accessible to a few geniuses. This framing almost seems too convenient—a method to disregard all political opponents as simply too unintelligent to understand you.
I want to talk about common sense and how it can sometimes be problematic, but I don't want to create a simplistic binary about it being good or bad. Instead, we are going to discuss what rhetorical and political role that it serves.
Common sense is fluid
Something that bears emphasizing is that what constitutes common sense is constantly in flux. Gender divisions are an undeniable universal truth to some and a social construct to others. Racial hierarchy was, at one point (and to some people still is), common sense. As Abraham Lincoln allegedly said during a presidential debate on September 18th, 1858:
“I will say, in addition, that there is a physical difference between the white and black races, which I suppose, will forever forbid the two races living together upon terms of social and political equality, and inasmuch, as they cannot so live, that while they do remain together, there must be the position of superior and inferior, that I as much as any other man am in favor of the superior position being assigned to the white man.”
This opinion is antiquated by today's standards, indicating that the things we consider obvious constantly shift.
