From a London newspaper:
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
– Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
– Why the early bird gets the worm;
– Life isn’t always fair;
– and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I’m A Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
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An enjoyable read with a good deal of truth to it. However, it looses some impact when it uses the necessity of parental approval for the administration of aspirin as an example of a lack of common sense. Aspirin is contraindicated in children under 19 except in specific circumstances. It would only make sense to ask for parental approval.
Sometimes common sense is just wrong. Remember, it was once common sense that the sun revolved around the Earth.
Thanks Larry.
This reminds me of my good old friend “Do what you know is right.”
He is slowly put to death by two thugs who were hired by syndicated Time Management Gurus.
The names of those thugs are “Do what’s urgent.” and “Do what’s important.”
Their scheme is to grab all the attention by quarrelling with each other. Thus “Do what you know is right.” dies from boredom.
Get lots done
Karl
PS: Larry, I bet you keep him alive as good and trusted friend, right?
Well said Larry! It’s pathetic how our society has changed to accommodate stupidity and laziness and the trend only seems to be getting worse. I wonder what it’s going to take to get people to realize what a bunch of nonsense our legal system has become.
Amen, to the death of Common Sense. This is what is bringing our country down.
Larry, this is a sad day, I was hoping Common Sense would survive the diseases…but he didn’t (obviously).
This “obituary” contained a very powerful set of lessons that I hope many will pay attention to. Great stuff.
As a school teacher, I heartily agree with this article you shared. Thanks a lot for sending it thru email.
However, at my age (considerably over 21 years old) allow me to say that “Common Sense” isn’t as common as we would like, unfortunately. I was a child in the ’50’s and a teenager part of the ’60’s. There was a lot of stupidity going on then, too.
I’m convinced that human nature hasn’t changed. However, what HAS changed is what we are allowed to do about it.
I think it’s time to have GOOD SENSE instead of common sense because the lack of logique in our world today it’s scary. I Have sympathy to those who lost their hability to have some sense.
Most of the time I love you, Larry, but I wish you wouldn’t join the ranks of people perpetrating the falsehoods about the McDonald’s coffee case. If you read the actual facts of the case – and the results – McDonald’s is the actual idiot there, not the woman. http://www.lectlaw.com/files/cur78.htm details some of what actually happened, as opposed to what is popularly reported on the web.
Other than that, I agree with you in spirit, if not in the actual details. Keep preachin’, brother!
Linda hit it on the head.
My belief is most of what happens is allowed to happen and not made to happen! 73 years and counting.
Larry, this is truly good.
As to the post about the aspirin, insert Tylenol or Advil, as I have 13 year old daughter who needed Advil after having braces, I had to bring our own bottle, labeled, and then each day needed to send a note saying if she could have some and at what intervals. This was only acceptable because of the braces, otherwise I could not send any for her, or she could not have any from the school, the only option if she had a headache was for me to leave work and come pick her up and take her out of school!!
Common sense has truly died, and I really don’t believe that Common Sense ever believed that the Sun revolved around the earth!!
Thanks Larry
I have just read 3 of your books, …broke because you want to be, …people are idiots…, and it’s called work for a reason….
What a load of Common Sense!!! But it hurt me listening to some of the advice, the simple stuff that I was messing up on. It was like getting a good kick in the butt. I got two very important wake up calls from your readings. First, when you asked the reader to make a list of what I expect from myself, I realized that I had nothing to write down. I didn’t expect anything from myself. Well of course I expected my self to do right to others etc, etc.
The second thing that woke me up was when you talked about getting results. I know that I work hard, long hours and for low pay. But now I can see that I need to take care of priorities first.
I have developed a new motivation and direction for my life. Actions and Results and Educating myself are now my priorities.
Thank you
Catriona
Gray – Thank you for bringing up the McDonalds case. I, too, am so tired of the beating that woman has taken while the truth is buried.
About that McDonald’s case…I don’t think lectlaw.com has the whole story. Certainly, it looks like it was written by the plaintif’s attorney. The entire point was at what temp does McD keep coffee. But, let’s look at what EVERY restaurant he makes coffee does….Particularly, if it’s fresh brewed per customer. Water is boiled, ie, 212-degrees. And, while boiling, poured over ground coffee. Tea drinkers, take note…white tea, the coolest variant served, is prepared at 185-degrees. Coffee at my office (just checked) 170-degrees, in the pot. (Not fresh, btw.) Break out the thermometers, kids, and start checking your area. I think you’ll consistently find coffee is prepared and served at greater than 170-degrees, routinely. By the way….loved the obit. So terribly true.