Voltaire - Common Sense is Not so Common

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Welcome to The Daily Quote—a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I’m your host, Andrew McGivern, and today is November 4th.

Today is Use Your Common Sense Day. Now, I’ll admit, it’s a pretty great reminder for all of us. Sure, it sounds straightforward, but if you've ever seen someone share an article on social media without actually reading it - Ooops, or seen a driver use the shoulder as their own private express lane or other things. Today gives us a reason to reflect on that underrated superpower—clear thinking.

So in honor of Use Your Common Sense Day, I’ve chosen a quote that taps into that theme. It’s from Voltaire, who said,

“Common sense is not so common.”

Now, Voltaire wasn’t trying to insult anyone (well, maybe he was, just a little). Instead, he was pointing out that common sense is a skill we actually have to cultivate. It’s not just instinct; it’s a conscious effort to see things as they are, cut through confusion, and make smart decisions.

Often, common sense boils down to the simplest actions—taking a moment to think things through, evaluating the situation, and choosing the course that seems logical. But, like any good skill, it’s something we need to practice.

And now with the level of polarization in society, the amount of conflicting "facts"... and the amount of conspiracy theorists claiming to be critical thinkers. Well, I think you see where I'm going with this.

And the problem is... some conspiracies theories are actually real conspiracies... so I get it... its complicated.

Common sense is about filtering through the BS and trying to make the right conclusions on good information. About making smart decisions and also being respectful of others.

Today, consider the power of keeping things simple and letting common sense lead the way. Maybe it’s in the little things, like reading all the instructions before building that new bookshelf. Or maybe it’s bigger, like checking your assumptions in a tricky conversation. The more we flex this muscle, the sharper our decision-making becomes.

So as you go about your day, remember Voltaire’s words: Common sense is not so common. And if nothing else, today can remind us to keep life a little simpler, a little clearer, and perhaps, just a little wiser.

Thank you for joining me today on The Daily Quote. Here’s to a day of smart thinking and wisdom. Take care, and I’ll see you back here tomorrow for another Daily Quote.