Common sense is just cultural hegemony?

[Machjo]

How would you define 'common sense'?

According to Gramsci (Antonio Gramsci - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), it's but a reflection of cultural hegemony by the dominant ideology. Some have also criticized common sense as being sometimes and impediment to abstract or even logical thinking.

What are your views on this?

 

[L Gilbert]

Common sense is often unwise. A lot of the time common sense is based on "appeal to anonymous authority", "appeal to false authority", "appeal to widespread belief", etc.
GOOD sense is rare and uses a variety of concepts to reach a conclusion; logic, data, perspective, etc.

 

[bobnoorduyn]

I view the two as different things. Common sense, to me, is the "good" sense to look both ways before crossing the street, to not be texting while riding a bicycle, walking in traffic, driving, operating heavy equipment, etc. Or not to walk alone down dark alleys things of that nature, sense that in the words of Votaire, "is not that common".

 

[L Gilbert]

Right, so "common" sense should be called something else. I prefer "good" sense as real common sense is often inane. "Pig" sense could be a better term. People used to use "horse" sense, but then horses will sometimes eat locoweed and go "loco" and they'll also drink poisoned water in spite of their fantastic senses of smell and taste.

 

[bobnoorduyn]

Right, so "common" sense should be called something else. I prefer "good" sense as real common sense is often inane.

I think rather than re-naming it, the idea of calling it "common" sense is good, for a couple of reasons. One, that it is the sense held by a majority of people, such as looking both ways and such. Two, that by telling them they lack common sense you equate them with the minority of idiots.

Good sense, horse sense, are applied by those with either more experience or more aware of the senses they have.

Those who appear to have a 6th sense are even more attuned to the senses they have and can uncannily predict the outcome of events or actions. It is more of an art form and some are more developed than others, it does require effort and a great deal of situational awareness and practise before it becomes ingrained subconsiously, kind of like motor muscle memory of the brain.

You would think that would raise the bar for common sense, but unfortunately our society has lowered that bar to the point where people are thought to have "good" sense if they actually do look both ways.

 

[Said1]

How would you define 'common sense'?

According to Gramsci (Antonio Gramsci - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), it's but a reflection of cultural hegemony by the dominant ideology. Some have also criticized common sense as being sometimes and impediment to abstract or even logical thinking.

What are your views on this?

Gramsci provided a theory or 'assessment' with respect to the social relations between working classes and production. The elites maintained concent through finding a common bond between the workers and themselves which was most commonly God - at one time, of course. In more modern times, consent is maintained through any means possible, as long is there is a large unifying consensus. Indoctrination is key, so of course, logical thinking can get distored, even through counter-hegemonic discourse.

Gramsci's ideas on hegemony are very reflective in colonial times - or should I say the most glaring example of duality and hegemonic dominence over groups. It's obviously more sublte today, but the traditional brainwashing venues are still very powerful.

What would anyone say is the most domient hegemonic ideology uniting Canadians.......anti-Americanism? This trancends language and regionalism. Or mulit-culturalism. Immigrantion serves economic needs, so naturally marketing mulit-cultualism is an important job from the hegemon?

Ok. babbling over.

 

[L Gilbert]

lol In my first post, I forgot to mention that I think "common" sense is fickle and depends on what society in general favors, IE; cultural hegemony. "Good" sense is a reliable, analytical tool. "Other" would be everything else.

 

[Cliffy]

bobnoorduyn
Two, that by telling them they lack common sense you equate them with the minority of idiots.

Judging by political, environmental and economic awareness, it is a misjudgment to say that the idiots are in a minority.

 

[bobnoorduyn]

Judging by political, environmental and economic awareness, it is a misjudgment to say that the idiots are in a minority.

Its really hard to say, what I would say is that the idiots seem to be the most vocal, most visible, and either climb to positions of power or have great influence on those who are there.

Then there are the rest who hope that natural selection will take care of them, but we also have a band of idiots who legislate common sense, (or lobby for such legslation) to protect them, and supposedly everyone else, from this natural process.

 

[Cliffy]

Its really hard to say, what I would say is that the idiots seem to be the most vocal, most visible, and either climb to positions of power or have great influence on those who are there.

Then there are the rest who hope that natural selection will take care of them, but we also have a band of idiots who legislate common sense, (or lobby for such legslation) to protect them, and supposedly everyone else, from this natural process.

Bingo!

 

[L Gilbert]

I can see this thread degrading into another political discussion really fast. That's unfortunate. I would much rather see it blossom into a discussion about good sense, wisdom, stupidity, logic, etc. Butas I say now & then, I hope for the best and expect the worst.

 

[Machjo]

Gramsci provided a theory or 'assessment' with respect to the social relations between working classes and production. The elites maintained concent through finding a common bond between the workers and themselves which was most commonly God - at one time, of course. In more modern times, consent is maintained through any means possible, as long is there is a large unifying consensus. Indoctrination is key, so of course, logical thinking can get distored, even through counter-hegemonic discourse.

Gramsci's ideas on hegemony are very reflective in colonial times - or should I say the most glaring example of duality and hegemonic dominence over groups. It's obviously more sublte today, but the traditional brainwashing venues are still very powerful.

What would anyone say is the most domient hegemonic ideology uniting Canadians.......anti-Americanism? This trancends language and regionalism. Or mulit-culturalism. Immigrantion serves economic needs, so naturally marketing mulit-cultualism is an important job from the hegemon?

Ok. babbling over.

That wasn't babbling, and no apologies needed. Brainstorming is a good way to come up with the right answer. Sure it's lost in a jumble of wrong ones too and we need to filter through it all, but at least we find it. To find the truth, we musn't be afraid to err.

It's interesting that you should bring up the issue of concent. Have you ever watched the film Manufacturing Concent based on Noam Chompsky's book of the same title I believe? I don't agree with him on all points, but I do respect him none-the-less in his attempt to dig for the truth wihtout fear of being wrong. As a result, we end up finding much truth in what he says. You can watch it here:

Manufacturing_Consent.wmv

 

[bobnoorduyn]

I can see this thread degrading into another political discussion really fast. That's unfortunate. I would much rather see it blossom into a discussion about good sense, wisdom, stupidity, logic, etc. Butas I say now & then, I hope for the best and expect the worst.

Well, maybe that's what Machjo had in mind when starting this thread, I dunno. Common sense applied to the everyday goings on the the workaday folk, or as it applies to politics and government?

In the latter, common sense may be a bit harder to define. As I said before, idiots abound, but not everyone in the public eye or who pulls the levers of power is an idiot. Identifying who is who is even harder because one man's idiot may be another man's hero, after all, George W got voted in twice. Who is right, or is anyone right?

I've had the good fortune, (or misfortune) to be in situations where two sides are at odds where we both know the truth, but that truth is finessed, embellished, and sometimes totally misrepresented, by both sides, to the media and thereby the public for the purposes of posturing and garnering support. It takes a little more than common sense to make accurate sense of it all.

 

[L Gilbert]

Well, maybe that's what Machjo had in mind when starting this thread, I dunno. Common sense applied to the everyday goings on the the workaday folk, or as it applies to politics and government?

If that's what he had in mind he should not have stuck the thread in the Philosophy section and should have stuck in in a politics section.

In the latter, common sense may be a bit harder to define. As I said before, idiots abound, but not everyone in the public eye or who pulls the levers of power is an idiot. Identifying who is who is even harder because one man's idiot may be another man's hero, after all, George W got voted in twice. Who is right, or is anyone right?

Common sense to me is self descriptive. It is the sense that is common. Common sense used to tell us the world was flat, tomatoes were poisonous, and the universe was geocentric. Good sense showed otherwise.

I've had the good fortune, (or misfortune) to be in situations where two sides are at odds where we both know the truth, but that truth is finessed, embellished, and sometimes totally misrepresented, by both sides, to the media and thereby the public for the purposes of posturing and garnering support. It takes a little more than common sense to make accurate sense of it all.

You mean people using common sense are snowed? I agree.

 

[Machjo]

I was referring more to common sense in political structures.

 

[bobnoorduyn]

You mean people using common sense are snowed? I agree.

Yup, and it is intentional, B.S. baffles brains. I'm loathe to say I've been a party to it, but having been a close up witness to it and how it is done doesn't allways show you the path to the truth, (from other purveyors of deception), but it does give insight to how it is shielded, and by all sides I might add.

 

[L Gilbert]

Most certainly. All in all it is best to be a discerning individual and suspect "common" knowledge and sense.
"Common" sense would indicate that tv ads are highly effective in the advertised products being sold. I looked it up a couple weeks ago and oversaturation is actually counterproductive.

 

[china]

Machjo

How would you define 'common sense'?

I think common sense is acting in conformity to reason ,all the time , exercising of sound judgment .
Not becominga fanatic or a 'specialist' in any one thought but explore ,learn all the time.
I think one should aim to develop habits of patients ,thoroughness and self respect and one should avoid worrying but meet every situation with......................Common Sense.