Why Common Sense is Not Common

We’re not all learning the same things.

Common sense relies on a baseline understanding of a concept of a situation, and to have a baseline requires some sort of exposure. What we believe to be “common sense” varies among culture, upbringing, and individual experiences. What may seem obvious to you may not be to another person due to differences in knowledge, values, or perspectives. If a person does not have a baseline, relevant information, or context, they may not act in a way that perceives “common sense.”

We also have the issue of biases, such as confirmation biases and, very simply, overconfidence. This can lead people to believe that they’re acting rationally when they may not be. People have a tendency to overthink simple issues and overanalyze situations, leading to analysis paralysis and away from “straightforward” solutions.

So the next time we wonder why someone may be behaving in a way that’s contrary to “common sense”, pause for a moment to realize that “common sense” is not so “common”, and that it may be be better to call it “subjective sense”.