Post by Chips on May 11, 2008 11:36:31 GMT 9.5
It doesn't make sense to do nothing
REX JORY
LONDON'S The Times newspaper recently published this unique obituary, which needs no initial comment.
"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 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 six-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 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 for assault.
"Common Sense finally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realise that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little on 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 four 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. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing."
The article about the passing of Common Sense has a touch of the obituary published more than a century ago lamenting the humiliation of English cricket and the creation of the Ashes.
While the examples in The Times obituary of Common Sense are not, in every case, replicated in Australia, it contains a chilling warning about the direction Australia is heading.
It wasn't so long ago that a woman won damages because her workmate had a fluffy toy penis in a cage on his desk. Some Australian kindergartens and child-minding centres have banned Christmas carols and Nativity scenes because they might offend non-Christians. School tuck shops are facing closure because they aren't allowed to sell certain foods and children refuse to buy what is on offer.
The examples of the slow agony of common sense in Australia go on. If we aren't careful, as a nation, it won't be long before interfering and impractical social engineers, acting with the best of intentions, insist we inherit other extreme examples from the U.S. and Britain.
The biggest threat to the survival of common sense in Australia is the slow demise of personal responsibility and self-reliance. Increasingly, people who are confronted by problems expect governments to bail them out. It's time we all stood up and demanded the dismantling of the Nanny State and the reinstatement of common sense and personal responsibility.
But, as The Times says, the alternative is to join the majority, and sit and do nothing - until it is too late.
A good dose of common sense
"Science is nothing but trained and organised common sense." English biologist T.H. Huxley.
"No brilliance is needed in law. Nothing but common sense and relatively clean finger nails." English writer John Mortimer. "Marry common law with common sense." English poet Robert Lloyd.
"Common sense is the best distributed commodity in the world, for every man is convinced he is well supplied with it." French philosopher Rene Descartes.
"A man of great common sense and good taste, meaning, thereby, a man without originality or morale courage." Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw.
"Not wrung from speculations or subtleties but from common sense and observation." English writer Sir Thomas Browne.
"The same principles which at first lead to scepticism, pursued to a certain point, bring people back to common sense." Irish philosopher and Anglican bishop George Berkeley.
REX JORY
LONDON'S The Times newspaper recently published this unique obituary, which needs no initial comment.
"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 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 six-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 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 for assault.
"Common Sense finally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realise that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little on 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 four 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. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing."
The article about the passing of Common Sense has a touch of the obituary published more than a century ago lamenting the humiliation of English cricket and the creation of the Ashes.
While the examples in The Times obituary of Common Sense are not, in every case, replicated in Australia, it contains a chilling warning about the direction Australia is heading.
It wasn't so long ago that a woman won damages because her workmate had a fluffy toy penis in a cage on his desk. Some Australian kindergartens and child-minding centres have banned Christmas carols and Nativity scenes because they might offend non-Christians. School tuck shops are facing closure because they aren't allowed to sell certain foods and children refuse to buy what is on offer.
The examples of the slow agony of common sense in Australia go on. If we aren't careful, as a nation, it won't be long before interfering and impractical social engineers, acting with the best of intentions, insist we inherit other extreme examples from the U.S. and Britain.
The biggest threat to the survival of common sense in Australia is the slow demise of personal responsibility and self-reliance. Increasingly, people who are confronted by problems expect governments to bail them out. It's time we all stood up and demanded the dismantling of the Nanny State and the reinstatement of common sense and personal responsibility.
But, as The Times says, the alternative is to join the majority, and sit and do nothing - until it is too late.
A good dose of common sense
"Science is nothing but trained and organised common sense." English biologist T.H. Huxley.
"No brilliance is needed in law. Nothing but common sense and relatively clean finger nails." English writer John Mortimer. "Marry common law with common sense." English poet Robert Lloyd.
"Common sense is the best distributed commodity in the world, for every man is convinced he is well supplied with it." French philosopher Rene Descartes.
"A man of great common sense and good taste, meaning, thereby, a man without originality or morale courage." Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw.
"Not wrung from speculations or subtleties but from common sense and observation." English writer Sir Thomas Browne.
"The same principles which at first lead to scepticism, pursued to a certain point, bring people back to common sense." Irish philosopher and Anglican bishop George Berkeley.