Why is it called "common sense"?

[guillaumeb]

If 60 million people could happily vote for a con man,

if this same con man can tell over 16,000 lies with little drop in support from his base,

if this con man can suggest that bleach might be good to take internally, to no outcry from his base,

if 37% of voters still support this incompetent lunatic,

if anyone can listen to Trump's insane speeches, and still like him,

why exactly is it called "common sense"?

[Shell_Seas]

1. It's a conundrum.

[guillaumeb]

3. Or.........

a conundumb.

[unblock]

2. Arguably it's part of the anti-science trust your gut worldview

[guillaumeb]

5. So it is actually uncommon sense.

At least for 37% of the US population.

[WVreaper]

4. It's alternative sense.

[guillaumeb]

6. Brilliant. And welcome to DU.

Similar to alternative facts.

[Solomon]

7. Racism throws everything off and fucks up everything.

[guillaumeb]

8. Trump says he is not a racist. eom

[underpants]

9. Good question. Much of it is trained behavior and oral history

Never thought of it before.

Common sense, I would think, is situational and colloquial.

[guillaumeb]

10. And it is the ability to learn.

Obviously we all learn that fire is hot. But learning how to interpret what is seen, or what is read, is the real key.

I represented many people in my 32 plus years as a Union representative, and I was constantly asked to explain sections of our national agreement. In my view, reading for comprehension is a skill that many lack.

[Caliman73]

11. I try never to use the term.

Common sense has been used to describe things that seem axiomatic, that "everyone understands" like drinking bleach will seriously injure or kill you.

The reality is that there are a lot of people out there that probably have never heard of bleach. I was thinking about "do not stick a fork in an electrical socket, but then there are probably millions of people in the world who do not have electricity in their homes.

So, "common sense" is just another of those terms that imply that a person should know.

People still support Trump because there is an entire media ecosystem that downplays, spins, and straight up lies about who he is and what he is doing. I ventured over to Trump's Twitter and saw some of that shit direct with links to crazy ass article and videos that those people watch (likely with no counter balance). It is so coordinated and loud that it regularly seeps into the mainstream news. Plus, the Republican Party, which represents the interests of the owners of the mainstream corporate media, are backing the information as well so what was once a relatively balanced field of journalism now emphasizes the balance between the relative objectivity and the right wing propaganda.

[guillaumeb]

12. Thank you for the excellent capsule analysis in your final paragraph.

Fake news, alternative facts, and terms like that are pure propaganda.

Lies are not an alternative viewpoint, they are simply lies.

But I agree that when 6 large corporations own over 90% of the US media, Trump is possible.

[Caliman73]

13. But I agree that when 6 large corporations own over 90% of the US media, Trump is possible.

Your quote above is the absolute truth. Also, when news is all about revenue and selling ad space, Trump is not only possible but inevitable.

[Donkees]

14. Common being the root of the word Community ...

Common sense, probably once referred to shared community/clan/tribal customs, traditions, passed-down wisdom, etc. for survival in particular regions.

[guillaumeb]

15. A nice point.

But for the GOP, community is a bad word. They prefer the myth of the rugged individual.