When this question is invoked the basic fundamentals come to mind. Air, water, food. But there’s one so basic, at times it completely escapes the mind. Impossible to live without, yet commonly forgotten. Common sense. Without it thriving in modern societies is quite impossible.

Common sense encompasses two concepts; practical/emotional intelligence and basic scholastic education. Having practical and emotional intelligence allows me to make logical, rational decisions as often as possible. Makes simultaneously thinking and acting with my head and heart possible. My decisions pertaining to everyday interaction with others stems from how practically and emotionally intelligent I am. Without emotional or practical intelligence there would be no difference in how I interact with different people. This would not bode well for me as there is a natural imbalance of power in almost every aspect of life. Employers hold monetary positions of power over employees. Parents hold authoritarian positions of power over their children.

When I interact with my boss I am polished, direct, and casual when the situation calls for it. When interacting with my parents I am casual and less concerned with the formality of my choice of speech. Less pressure is felt to be polished whilst interacting with people who hold less restricting positions of power over me.

Handling pressure is another key difference the lack of practical and emotional intelligence would have on my life. With it I turn stress into productivity. Burdens to disburdens. Without it being placed under pressure would spell the end of my productivity and creativity. I wouldn’t be able to overcome the initial negative emotion that comes with being under pressure of any kind. Being emotionally and practically intelligent enables me to revert the initial bombardment of stimuli into organized pathway(s) to overcome or accomplish whatever puts me under pressure whether it be social or scholastic.

Scholastic education is the other consort to common sense. Referring to not only being academically competent but at least somewhat understanding why it is important to be so. Scholastic education includes a vast array of subject areas and focuses. Having a foundational understanding of the four core subjects; math, ELA, science, and history enhances my ability to understand and thrive in the world around me. The learning and understanding of academic subjects creates new connections between neurons in the brain, a high understanding of said subjects strengthens these connections. Enabling my ability to learn and understand more complex academic and practical concepts to become easier. This skill has strengthened my ability to understand the events occurring around me on a regular basis. Without this skill I wouldn’t be able to thrive in work or scholastic situations as an understanding of basic academic concepts such as math and literacy is fundamental to functioning properly in such environments. And I would forgo the physiological benefits the academic learning process offers.

Common sense is vital, yet overlooked and unacknowledged. Without it I wouldn’t be able to make the decisions that make me who I am.