James Taranto: Common sense is to be avoided just because it is common

Comments

1. Eliot Ryan :

   August 28, 2010 at 5:47 PM

   Freedom — and common sense — are under attack in this country

   MADGSXR (MAD GSXR) says…

   ‘Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
   Knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn’t always fair; and maybe it was my fault.
   Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

   His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
   Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Elastoplast to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
   Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
   Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

   Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I’m A Victim. Not many attended his funeral because so few realised he was gone.

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2. Fr John :

   September 1, 2010 at 10:37 AM

   This audio post simply reiterates commonplaces of the culture wars and sheds no new light, merely applying the terms to the current situation. The blog would be better served by a better informed commentary specific to the discussion of’islamophilia’ in the West, its genesis in reformation ideology and eventual enshrinement in all levels of Western thought imbued historically with anti-papist (& by misapplied xenophobic extension anti-Orthodox)sentiment.
   Rather than discuss something we need to learn about, an intellectual history of a pernicious meme, instead this piece doggedly reiterates talking points.
   I appreciate your work, Fr. Hans, and read your blog very frequently, but this piece is divisive as well as old hat.

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