Page 5 | To think that "common sense" isn't as common as people believe?

Bruisername · 11/10/2025 12:51

Sandy483 · 11/10/2025 12:48

I think what made it obvious and so 'common sense' was that the toddler meal was only £5. No restaurant would be able to cover the cost of the free meal if their offer included other very cheap meals. I often lack common sense though so it might not have occurred to me either if it wasn't made clear.

I don’t think it’s common sense - I think it’s more the adage ‘if it looks too good to be true it probably is’

ti me that is different to common sense, it’s about seeing something and really thinking through why you are being offered it.

Bruisername · 11/10/2025 12:49

Agree with pp that common sense doesn’t fit that example. However, it reminds me of the one where a woman wanted the kids eat free deal for her teen son and was then annoyed he had to eat from the kids menu!

Also agree that a lot of people don’t have common sense and a lot of people don’t seem to u destined cause and effect. Which is fine unless they then get angry or complain over something that was entirely of their own making

Sandy483 · 11/10/2025 12:48

I think what made it obvious and so 'common sense' was that the toddler meal was only £5. No restaurant would be able to cover the cost of the free meal if their offer included other very cheap meals. I often lack common sense though so it might not have occurred to me either if it wasn't made clear.

WhatNoRaisins · 11/10/2025 12:45

I think for things that are more common or universal experiences you can expect more. Things like if you go out in the rain with no coat or umbrella you'll definitely get wet, that's the same for everyone. I'd call that common sense.

Different systems in a restaurant that some people will be very familiar with while another person has never encountered it then no, not common sense.

Original poster

SorcererGaheris · 11/10/2025 12:42

Although inspired by the thread in question, this is also about the idea of common sense generally.

There's this expectation that everyone shares this common sense, or the same amount of it, and this just isn't the case for everyone.

Basically, common sense can't really be presumed - but it often is.

OP posts:

WhatNoRaisins · 11/10/2025 11:28

It's not an offer that I've seen much so I wouldn't consider this an example of lacking common sense because it doesn't sound like a very common occurrence.

Original poster

SorcererGaheris · 11/10/2025 11:25

AgDulAmach · 11/10/2025 11:19

In your example, I think it's an understandable mistake to make - it's not as if the OP has come across the situation lots of times before and keeps forgetting or making the same mistake. A bit of thought would have told her that the offer has to make financial sense for the restaurant so babies who only have small meals probably wouldn't count, but isn't a huge failing not to put much thought into something like that and the restaurant should have been clearer for their own benefit.

In terms of 'common sense' what frustrates me is when someone fucks something up because they don't put any effort into thinking things through, usually because they expect others to do the thinking for them.

@AgDulAmach

Yes, I think that's fair. Life is a learning experience, so if people repeatedly come across the same scenarios and haven't learned anything previously (I'm excluding people with complex neurodiversity/disabilities) then it's probably appropriate to question that.

But first-time experiences where people misunderstand? That's very different.

OP posts:

AgDulAmach · 11/10/2025 11:19

In your example, I think it's an understandable mistake to make - it's not as if the OP has come across the situation lots of times before and keeps forgetting or making the same mistake. A bit of thought would have told her that the offer has to make financial sense for the restaurant so babies who only have small meals probably wouldn't count, but isn't a huge failing not to put much thought into something like that and the restaurant should have been clearer for their own benefit.

In terms of 'common sense' what frustrates me is when someone fucks something up because they don't put any effort into thinking things through, usually because they expect others to do the thinking for them.

Thundertoast · 11/10/2025 11:18

I think people get very snobby about 'common sense' without understanding that there are a myriad of reasons why someone might appear not to have any, and whats not talked about is that some people grow up being told asking lots of questions is rude, and not having parents who included them in practical matters around the house. I think of it often when people talk about 'kids need to focus on studies and play not chores' because I think a lot of practical household stuff encourages asking questions, problem solving, planning, research - all the things 'common sense' ends up looking like.

Original poster

SorcererGaheris · 11/10/2025 11:18

I can understand why people might think that certain things "go without saying" - but they don't "go without saying" to everyone.

There seems to be a lack of tolerance and respect for those of us who don't share this "common sense".

OP posts:

ladybirdsanchez · 11/10/2025 11:11

If it only applies to adults, then the offer should say adults and not people. I would say I generally have plenty of common sense and I wouldn't think that babies and small DC count, but what about teens? My teens eat far more than I do!

GarlicBreadStan · 11/10/2025 11:10

SorcererGaheris · 11/10/2025 11:07

This is inspired by the thread about the restaurant offered a free (birthday) meal as long as five people were dining - which turned out only applied to five ADULTS, but according to the OP it wasn't specified that it only applied to adults.

Many people are saying that it's "common sense" that such an offer would apply only to adults and some are questioning the intelligence of anyone who wouldn't realise that.

I commented that it would not have occurred to me that such an offer only applied to adults dining and a couple of people have been a little critical of me for that. Because apparently it's "common sense."

Well, maybe I lack common sense. My mother has often told me that I have none.

So my point is - surely so-called "common sense" isn't actually as common as many people believe it is?

People's minds work differently, people understand things differently. People who are neurodiverse sometimes take wording very, very literally and can sometimes need things spelled out to them that would seem obvious to others (I am autistic myself.)

I do find it unfair when people insult/mock or imply that someone is lacking in intelligence for not having "common sense". That doesn't make them stupid, it just means that their minds aren't connecting the dots in the same way that other people do.

I'm not sure that "common sense" should be as much of an expectation as it seems to be.

I also wouldn't realise that it only applies to adults. I often don't read the T's and C's at a restaurant because it's too much for me to focus on and I have trouble comprehending big blocks of text, which makes my "common sense" even less common for me to have