Death to the common phrase

I often hear the phrase "common sense" being thrown around by many thoughtless people. Everyone should use their words wisely and think carefully before blurting out insults and "know-it-all" retorts referring to someone's intellect, which is based on the insulters’ OWN perceptions. I do not take the phrase lightly, nor do I believe in a so-called universal COMMON SENSE. When I hear these words spoken I am aware of the judgment and bias involved. Please keep in mind, now more than ever, the billions of people on Earth do not originate from the same continents, cultures, religions, educational experiences, etc. Therefore, how can one expect another to be well or even quasi aware of native concepts?! If I was born in New Guinea, Africa; did not have the opportunity to go to school in my formative years; and migrated to another country in my thirties with limited language skills would I know the meaning of (certain or any) national symbols specific to that country? If I was a 70 year old woman from Calcutta, India with an English degree, who rarely traveled outside my community, would I be able to easily navigate a trip on public transportation by merely reading signs in a city that has millions of natives that hop trains several times a day? Each one of us has a mental schema, no matter what our intellectual capacity. Our schema is built upon experiences; whether they are informal or formal. Your schema helps you to scaffold previous knowledge to expand your understanding of a word, object, or process. (I.e. Your first experience with ants may have been when you were a toddler and were bitten by one. You may not have known what an “ant” was called, but you discovered what they look like and the pain one encounters upon being attacked by an ant. As you matured you learned more about where and how ants live, possibly about their anatomy and reproductive practices. If you lived in an area where ants were not prevalent your experience with them would come much later in life.) That is how the brain functions and how what seems like “common sense” to one person is obviously not the same to another. From student to student, country to country, community to community, and family member to family member our experiences are unique and shape our perspective on the life we live. The next time you hear or say the words “that is common sense” question whether that is common sense to you and your family/community or if it is merely you passing wrongful judgment on an unknowing person. Consider that “common sense” is not common and we should encourage one another to travel, because it truly helps the continuous molding that occurs to change how we humans pursue, and think about, any and everything.