The stove is on, do you touch it?

Well, unless second degree burns ever become a pleasurable sensation for anyone, a mutual understanding of a general (not so mathematical) equation remains. Finger + flames = ouch.

No, such a choice is not explicitly written in life guide books, a house law, or even federal law (which would be quite amusing if that were ever the case), yet we inevitably opt to follow not for conformity's sake, but as a result of our formulated wisdom. Perhaps as a child we have already innocently burned ourselves, while Mom makes mac and cheese, given your eagerness to grab the pot and eat from it. I speak from experience, although my situation did not involve mac and cheese, but in the midst of making homemade fries. Or perhaps, you have witnessed others experiencing it--maybe first hand, in movies, or from your simple conscientiousness of the happenings around you.

And somehow, someway, at some point--we just know.

Henceforth, the common in common sense emerges. Widely accepted as an implicit societal expectation, from all of us, to successfully apply in our daily lives. But can we really assume such experiential knowledge?

Sure, given its simple science, the heat-stove-and-ouch reference seems to be the epitome of common, yet how about starting a campfire? Building a tent?

Sounds like a failure of a camping trip, I know, but the pressure to know these processes are truly uncalled for. As humans, we evolve as we experience, and if one has never ignited a match, such expectations become unfair. In fact, if one fails to accomplish such commonalities, self-esteem lowers. Internal degradation and self-loathing can ensue. The mindset of if I can't do something so simple, how can I conquer more complex situations kicks in.

As an innately advanced and complex species, we inevitably tend to be harsh on ourselves, putting ourselves in the highest esteem. Our instinct for survival transpires even in the modern society we live in today. And amidst such an ever-evolving environment, that common sense is the one thing that humanity exclusively shares. In its glorification, however, we neglect the complexity in even the most basic concepts.

Let us go back to the stove example. Even in its universal understanding, our brains were not originally hardwired to possess such knowledge. Instead, we absorb, observe, and adapt. The once foreign sensation becomes second-nature, as the most uncommon of senses become an acquirement of knowledge.

In actuality, the only common sense we can expect is our mutual capacity to learn. And so, let us prosper and formulate our own personal no-brainers, designed for our individual growth and spontaneous development of wisdom.

We are all wise.