“Practicing good sense and sound judgment in practical matters,” is the basic definition of common sense.

The commonness of common sense is often debated by those of us that are easily annoyed, and it is often considered lacking. Despite the many debates, does today’s society truly understand the term? Common sense is a necessary component to living a safe and satisfactory life, and it is, in fact, more than knowing the basic facts of life. Common sense is knowledge independent of specialized education, and it is often procured by using the five physical senses.

It can be reasonably expected of anyone to have common sense, as they are not expected to further their education in order to have it. Intelligence and common sense are, in fact, often confused; however, they are quite different. Life tends to be more easily understood by those with a decent balance of both because of the differences between the two. For example, intelligence is gained from furthering one’s education, such as attending college, self-educating, along with participating in other programs. Common sense, on the other hand, is learned throughout life and the mistakes one makes and acknowledges. It is because of this that no one is exempt from learning common sense, especially as one is not required to be affluent or intelligent. Common sense is something that people are taught by parents, friends, and themselves, and it's free. So long as people learn how to appreciate making lemonade from the lemons life gives them, they can obtain common sense; however, many people often refuse to acknowledge their mistakes, and, thus, learn nothing.

Human society has been equipped with five basic physical senses, those of touch, taste, sound, smell, and sight. These hyperactive senses allow humans to see the beautiful, dewy green grass laid before them in nature. Humans can hear the high-pitched melody of birds when the world is meant to awaken. They can smell the hot, humid summer rain that signals lazy days while reading by windows. They can feel the satiny softness of a newborn baby’s skin. These senses even allow humans to taste the love poured into home-cooked meals. The physical senses not only allow these sensations, but they also contribute to a human’s common sense. Because they can taste, touch, hear, see, and smell the world around them, they are able to sense when something is bad for their bodies, and so those with common sense gather that they should stay away from the source of that sensation. Originally, this was the definition of common sense; nevertheless, it has since evolved into something greater. The Greeks, who created the idea of common sense, knew that humans were able to practice sound judgment because they were able to learn from the world around them.

Common sense is necessary for everyday life, as without knowing the dangers of the world, humans would be even more ignorant than we already are and much more likely to put themselves in danger. This does not only include physical danger, but also psychological dangers, such as depression and anxiety. Without common sense, a person would be unaware of how to interact with people and what is and what isn’t acceptable, which could lead to harassment, such as bullying or being ignored. One cannot mature and grow into their personality without constantly learning, which is what common sense is for. One must understand that his or her view isn’t always correct or compatible with other views, and he or she must be able to accept this and continue with living life to their maximum potential. Common sense is the ability as a human to function around others, as well as the ability to protect ourselves from harmful aspects of life.

One could say that the amount of people with common sense in society is lacking; however, every human has some amount of common sense, as it is ingrained in his or her body and mind. The problem is how well humans utilize their common sense and how open they are to learning more. If a person is unwilling to understand that there will always be more to learn, that no one person could attain all the knowledge in the universe, then there will be no hope for said person to strengthen their own common sense. One is not required to continue an education, though it is recommended, in order to have common sense, as it is a part of a human’s body, and it is acquired by simply learning from mistakes and the environment. Common sense consists of much more than basic facts about life, though that is part of it, and it is independent of specialized knowledge. In order to live a satisfying life, one must use common sense, and he or she must continue to mature by watching the world around him or her and use whatever knowledge gained. Common sense is a simply beautiful aspect of such a beautifully complex world.

Check out this quiz to figure out just how much common sense you have and let me know in the comments!