“Common Sense”
as a communicative practice is something that every individual establishes in his
or her own way. We learn a type of ‘Common Sense’ when making decision or in
our communication patterns that we have developed over time. Ronald Arnett
states, “What generates common sense is commonality of practices” (Pg. 65).
This means that once we develop a pattern of actions or communication style, it
becomes common sense to make that unconscious decision in the future. This is
not the same for every person due to the variety of people with different
practices. Arnett mentions in his chapter that when people have different practices
they will have different levels of understanding what common sense is between
them. Thomas Paine, a famous treatise disagreed. He states that if people have
a common knowledge of common practices, then it invites common sense (Pg. 66).
These two opinions will lead to an ethical question of what common sense is.
For example, I
was riding bikes with my little cousin last weekend and she is just beginning
to do things on her own without her parents watching her every minute. Since I have
been riding bikes and independent in that sense, I know to ride my bike on the
right side of the road or trails. Due to her lack of establishing common sense
based on experience of safety with where to ride a bike, it is going to enforce
a different common sense for her. I have established over time to ride in
certain areas of the street and doing so unconsciously. With her being new to
riding bikes she has not established the idea of common sense to stay out of
the middle of the street. I have done so due to my commonality of doing this
over many years and by knowledge of consequence. This example shows common
sense is different in this sense of individual impulse. Ones she develops a
common sense of this practice then the ethical connection resides with the
common agreement its for the good of safety.
I agree with the fact that common sense is learned through a decision making promise. In addition, I feel as though our narratives dictate our knowledge of common sense. Moreover, our narratives are driven by a set of codes and procedures that are influenced by rhetoric of the world around us. I would argue that as individuals we are not totally free to establish our own common sense because common sense is often taught to us. For example, a popular procedural code in the U.S. is to cover your mouth when you cough and or sneeze. This becomes common sense because as a kid you are taught to do this, rather than a kid simply deciding to cover their mouth on their own terms. If no one was ever taught this code it wouldn't exist. However, it is important to look at why as Americans we value covering our mouth? and how this originated? In my opinion, American culture greatly values good hygiene and thus we feel the need to promote codes such as covering your mouth. In addition, a lot of countries that are filled with diseases are often associated with poverty, underdevelopment and are seen as powerless countries. Thus, a particular way for the U.S. to maintain it's image as a "powerful" nation is to incorporate specific codes that emphasize good hygiene and protect the identity of America. Then, little things like the common sense of covering your mouth really add to the overall image America wants to portray. Furthermore, they're are multiple purposes behind forms of common sense that we tend not to think about and in a way our common sense controls our actions, image and identity.
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary, one might argue that everyone has a choice of whether or not they want to learn something. For example, it's my decision if I want to cover my mouth when I cough because I have the physical control of covering or not covering my mouth. However, even though I physically have that control does the rhetoric of the world around me really leave me that choice? If I don't cover my mouth, I might get someone sick or receive nasty stairs from the people around me. Within my own ethics, I don't want to get anyone sick and therefore I cover my mouth and some people are greatly affected by the thoughts of those around them which is another reason for them to cover their mouth. All of these reasons create a justification for us to cover our mouths and I would argue that this common sense is constructed by the culture we are succumbed to. What if sneezing on someone meant you were transferring all your good germs to kill the other persons bad germs? Hence, our ideas of common sense are taught and learned by the ethics of the world around us because we are socialized into upholding certain ideals that fit in within our culture and or society.
Hi Arielle,
DeleteI think you bring up some good points about how common sense is taught to us based upon the values of the society that we grow up in. I am intrigued by your statement that common sense is formational in our perception of our actions, image and identity. Our textbook talks a lot about how societal fragmentation has led to a large number of acceptable personal identities, but your point that we still have a uniting sense of national identity and values regardless of our unique personal identities is important to keep in mind. As Americans we do have a few very USA-centric values such as freedom, consumerism and monetary charity that we all share to varying degrees. They help to form the basis of American common sense, but are often altered by our unique individual experiences.
It is absolutely true that we learn common sense when we make decision. I agree with Thomas Paine's idea that common knowledge of common practices invites common sense. Common sense is not only something we learn from our communicative practice, but also from our knowledge. For example, first time trying to swim in a swimming pool, people should feel difficulty with moving in water. It could be surprising for some of them because of their lack of knowledge and experience. After the first experience in water, it becomes their commonsense that moving in water is difficult. As we get old, we would establish common sense unconsciously by knowing what is right in general and adjusting the society. I believe that common sense and communication ethics are strongly connected because they are both significant in order to keep healthy interaction with others.
ReplyDeleteCommon sense is not what on the text book so we can learn, but it is something that we have to develop as we grow up. I like the example of your little cousin riding bike. Yes I am agree with you that common sense is different in level of understanding individually. Communicating with other by holding some common sense can be one of the definition of what communication ethics is, I believe. Improving common sense is important so that people are able to communicate well in conversation since they have similarity between their level of understandings.
ReplyDelete