Common Sense - where has it gone?

So yesterday we spoke of the "limbic" system and how it controls our emotions. Well today we're going to talk about another function or maybe lack of in our body and mind.

And that would be . . . "Common Sense"!

So . . . Where did it disappear to in this great country of ours?

Is "common sense" something we're just born with or is it something we have to learn?

The "Cerebrum" . . . the large outer part of the brain controls reading, thinking, learning, speech, emotions and planned muscle movements like walking. It also controls vision, hearing and other "senses".

The "common sense" part is the link between the body and its senses. So, is lack of "common sense" just something we're missing in the big picture of life?

Psychology Today states: Common sense, defined as "sound judgment derived from experience rather than study", is one of the most revered qualities in America. It evokes images of early and simpler times in which industrious men and women built our country into what it is today.

Wikipedia states: The definition of "common sense" refers to having sound judgment, not necessarily based on specialized knowledge. When you are smart, level-headed and able to understand and assess a situation, this is an example of having a lot of "common sense".

So here it is in a nutshell . . . Common sense is a form of practical decision-making and the ability to imagine the "consequences" of something you do. It "stops" us from making "irrational" mistakes and makes it easier to make good choices on what to do in life.

Okay . . . so we aren't born with "common sense", we must develop it over time.

So the question still remains . . . where did all the "common sense" in this great country go???

When did it become a "rational" thought to destroy monuments, hit our elderly, burn our business or to hate all defenders of our rights? When did it become "common sense" to burn our flag or deny us of our right to believe in our God? When did we lose sight on teaching our children respect, values, appreciation, gratitude and common sense?

So is "common sense" a thing of the past?

Developing "common sense" can seem like a difficult task, but you can easily practice using common sense by being more aware and reflecting on situations before you make decisions. Remember yesterday we spoke of the "limbic system" control the emotional side of us and not the logical side, And that we need to "retrain" our "cortex" part of the brain to take back its control of using logic.

Well . . . Common Sense is the same . . . we need to trains and teach ourselves to be more alert to our surroundings. And here are a few ways to do that:

Compare the risks and rewards of a decision before choosing what to do.

Trust your initial feelings so you don't over-analyze things too much.

Look at your situation from another perspective to think it through clearly.

Ask someone you trust for feedback if you aren't sure about your decision.

Don't do things that you know are bad for you.

Be more observant of your surroundings.

Pick options that are the most practical in the situation.

Think before you speak so you don't say something you'll regret.

Accept that there are some things you cannot change in life.

So just some food for thought today. Let's stand united and bring back appreciation and common sense to this great country. As Psychology Today stated about . . .

One of the most "revered qualities" in America is the "common sense" of our forefather that built our country into what it was.

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