A few months ago, I was taking the night train to Chennai. A young lass, a mobile phone wedged to her ear, gestured a man sitting on the side berth to denote that he was sitting in her allotted seat. The train had just left Bangalore Cantt and I was idly watching the drama unfolding in front of me. A few minutes later, we realized that the girl had got into a wrong train. She wanted to get down in Krishnarajapuram and I had to intervene and say that the train does not have a scheduled stop there. Amidst the fiasco, she was still on the phone making inane conversation with some person on the other end. I would have thought that sorting out the immediate mess takes precedence over any conversation but guess I was wrong!
The recent happenings in Bangalore that ended in a fatal and tragic stampede and the whole Whataboutery surrounding the lack of preparation in the quest of hasty celebration. Though I personally am unable to comprehend the need to crowd and come in sizable numbers just to catch a glimpse of your cricketing idols from such great distance, I am equally aghast at the authorities for not envisaging the crowd and more focused on the photo-op, the players wanting to just get done with all the adulation and the franchise not able to look beyond their bank balance.
Both the above incidents reminded me of this piece that I had read long back and my personal favourite. Though a satire, this article makes one laugh and reflect at the same time.
I am not sure who wrote this gem but it was published sometime in 2012 in London Times.
An Obituary To Common Sense- copied from the net.
- Knowing when to come in 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 6-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 their unruly children.
It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin 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 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 you 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 in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
- I Know My Rights
- I Want It Now
- Someone Else Is To Blame
- I’m A Victim
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla
in collaboration with Mister Tikku.
2 comments
I just read your “An Obituary to Common Sense – a Humorous Reminder” and I’m both cracking up and nodding in agreement. It’s wild how you brought common sense to life as this beloved friend who’s basically handed his own resignation based on ridiculous modern craziness—like suing over hot coffee spills Your take on those absurd headlines—kids getting in trouble for mouthwash or teachers being penalized for ruling the classroom—hit me hard. It’s funny but also kinda frightening how you pointed out that “common sense lost the will to live” in moments like that . And the list of surviving step-brothers “I Know My Rights,” “I Want It Now,” “I’m A Victim”––had me laughing out loud. There’s something so cleverly truthful about imagining common sense at its own funeral with no one there. Your tone—light, cheeky, but also sharp—makes the message land hard: we really do need to dial it back to basics sometimes. I love how you blend humor with a serious point: that we’ve lost the simple wisdom of our parents and grandparents. It’s weird how silly anecdotes turn into a kind of wake-up call. Honestly, you’ve given me a new lens for interpreting those news stories—now I’ll think, “Rest in peace, common sense” whenever I see something wild. Thanks for the laugh and the reminder that maybe, just maybe, we could all use a little more good old‑fashioned sense in our lives.
Thank you so much. Though I can’t take credit for the main piece. I just reproduced an article that I had read. It is supposed to have been published in London Times. Some intro and some conclusion only was mine.