Save Our Common Sense

With all the mayhem; polarising news; extremist views and conspiracy theories swirling about, I have a deep need to connect with my common-sense tribe. These friends, neighbours and acquaintances don’t all think like me, nor do we have the same political, religious, or cultural background, but we rely on one another for a dose of sensible, critical thinking and carefully reasoned opinion. In this bonkers social media-driven world, these people are my links to a shared and precious common sense.

The Wise v the Wilful

Within this diverse and thoughtful group, we debate, challenge one another, and often disagree but essentially respect the rule of law, value human rights, freedom of speech and environmental protections. We understand that people need peace and freedom to flourish, but even as I tap into this source of wisdom, I still find myself having to howl at the moon or regress into magical thinking to pacify my anger and bewilderment at the ignorance and stupidity I’m being exposed to daily.

What has become increasingly obvious, is that common sense is not a common trait at all, but an exceedingly rare and precious thing. My sensible tribe are decent, responsible, and well-informed folk who have become essential to my deeper learning and understanding and to my mental equilibrium and as such their value is priceless. Although a tribe of sorts, we never fall victim to tribal thinking.

The Goodies and Baddies

Some people are happiest when fanning the flames of division, ignorance and insecurity with their chatter and babble. Although I listen to everyone’s point of view, I must limit my exposure to narrow understandings and counter the polarising and negative with considered, kindly voices that often risk being drowned out by a cacophony of sycophants.

We were brought up to believe that the Goodies were easily recognisable, that they were on our side and would win in the end. How naïve and delusional that belief seems now. Although we must guard against cynicism as a nihilist attitude helps no one, we cannot allow ourselves to be influenced by the soundbites of extremists, the ill-informed or ego maniacs.

We owe it to humanity to source our information with care and think critically about issues and their ramifications while also challenging our own thinking. This might lead us to adjust our stance or change our minds, but taking things at face value is a fool’s game we can’t afford to lose.

Peace lies in the Grey Areas

Unreasonableness has become a contagion in our politics, our bureaucratic systems, our workplaces and in our social environments. The antidote is connecting with deep thinkers and the wise and worldly who can debate, argue, and persuade with the aim of solving problems, maintaining dignity and tolerating difference and in limiting our exposure to the opinions of the fanatical fringe on every side. The grey areas are where nuance, subtlety and compromise are found and where the solutions lie. Protecting our mental health from the compound bombardments of televised ignorance, unreasonable people and widespread discord, requires a quiet, but steely determination. If you are what you eat, you are also what you absorb mentally and spiritually.

Anchoring ourselves to careful people whose morality is not judgemental, whose ethics are not exclusive and whose care extends to the whole of life, protects our wellbeing and anchors us to our shared sense of common humanity and may yet shift our collective trajectory to an enlightened peace. The alternative doesn’t bear thinking about.

Written by MHScot Team Member, Sonia Last.