How to use Facebook to disprove the myth of common sense
For over 27 years, I have railed against the condescending phrase “common sense”. There is no sense that is common to all humans.
When authority figures urge us to rely on something that doesn’t exist, I feel exasperated. Relying on a fantasy as the basis for real-world decision making isn’t helpful or instructive. It often leads to wildly different actions from person to person.
When authority figures urge us to rely on something that doesn’t exist, I feel exasperated. Relying on a fantasy as the basis for real-world decision making isn’t helpful or instructive. It often leads to wildly different actions from person to person.
A call to common sense is a call to chaos.
You can easily prove that common sense doesn’t exist. Simply think of a scenario where authority figures often ask you to use common sense. Then, conduct a survey of 10 people and ask how they would react under the hypothetical circumstance.
It’s unlikely that you’ll get 100% agreement on how to proceed or react. There is no sense that is common to even a small community, much less the bulk of humanity.
Let’s use the comment section on this blog to conduct a real world experiment, shall we? I’m going to ask you a question a TV reporter once asked me:
“For reasons of safety and privacy, should people post personal information about themselves on Facebook?”
It’s unlikely that you’ll get 100% agreement on how to proceed or react. There is no sense that is common to even a small community, much less the bulk of humanity.
Let’s use the comment section on this blog to conduct a real world experiment, shall we? I’m going to ask you a question a TV reporter once asked me:
“For reasons of safety and privacy, should people post personal information about themselves on Facebook?”
[As a follow up to my response, the reporter asked if people should ‘just use common sense.’ Of course I explained my position on common sense and told her unequivocally ‘no!’]
If you ask 10 different people reading this blog, you’ll probably get at least two different answers about how safe it is to post personal information on Facebook. Go to the comment section and post your own views: it’s quite likely that someone will share an alternate opinion.
If you ask 10 different people reading this blog, you’ll probably get at least two different answers about how safe it is to post personal information on Facebook. Go to the comment section and post your own views: it’s quite likely that someone will share an alternate opinion.
What sense, after all, could possibly be common? And do tools like Facebook and Twitter do more to unify or fragment what is often referred to as a ‘common sense’?
Posted via email from Laura Bergells is Maniactive | Comment »
