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.
25 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.
The ‘obituary’ is so tongue in cheek and makes such alarmingly valid points! Thank you for sharing it.
Using a bit of common sense in our lives can bring in so many changes. But sometimes we just won’t budge, letting things go out of hand.
I think that common sense has become passe, and everyone believes themselves to be intellectual. The internet and AI give a false rhetoric of knowledge at your finger tips but doesnt teach you to use common sense which is absolutely essential. This was a rib-tickling obituary.
Seeing the current trends, I have often wondered if common sense did exist also! There seems to be nothing common in common sense. All senses have been let loose and live in the moment. I feel it should be christened as Chaos Sense or rather Phone Sense. I enjoyed the piece, the death and the sympathy to the men in uniform.
What happened with that girl though? Did she continue with her phone conversation? Was she able to get down and board the right train?
She did continue the journey by paying double for the ticket!
Literally, common sense is so uncommon. And indeed without it life becomes chaotic and messy
I guess this blog is a reminder to not questioning things and ending up being a part of crowd, using methods that don’t even feel sane to you when you think about it alone. We have stopped imagination, questioning, understanding, comprehending the moment we do that lives will be better. What a brilliant blog..loved it !
This was sharp, funny, and painfully accurate. You struck the perfect tone between humor and truth without sounding preachy.
A much-needed chuckle—and reminder—in today’s world.
Humorous articles are really a few. You have really done a great job with this one. A hearty laugh honestly is a big gift.
Honestly, it does feel like common sense is getting harder to find these days. So many times, I see people making simple choices that just don’t make sense. It’s like we’re forgetting the basics , things that used to be just obvious. Maybe it’s because life has gotten so complicated, or maybe we’re too caught up in distractions. Either way, reading this really hit home and reminded me how important it is to slow down and think things through, rather than rushing or ignoring what’s right in front of us.
What a brilliantly written piece, humorous yet so thought-provoking! The “obituary” really made me smile and sigh at the same time. It’s sad how relevant it still feels today. Thanks for sharing this reminder in such a witty way!
This made me smile and sigh at the same time. Common Sense truly feels like a lost art nowadays. Your words beautifully capture the absurdities we witness daily. Thank you for this gentle yet powerful reminder wrapped in humor and wisdom.
This poignant satire on Common Sense’s decline perfectly captures today’s chaos—where logic is lost amid haste, misplaced priorities, and bureaucracy, reminding us how much we desperately need sound judgment again.
The satirical obituary format is spot‑on: by mourning something intangible yet essential, it makes us realize how far society has drifted. Funny, biting, and yes ; vital .
The way Common Sense was described as a beloved figure who gave up on humanity felt hilariously accurate. From people suing over hot coffee to kids getting in trouble for mouthwash, the examples were both absurd and sadly relatable. The mention of surviving relatives like “I Know My Rights” and “I Want It Now” made the satire hit even harder. Behind the humor, it’s a sharp reminder of how far we’ve drifted from basic, everyday wisdom. It left me thinking: we really do need to bring Common Sense back from the grave.
For me , this article was a sharp and well timed commentary on the paucity of plain old common sense in today’s world.It seems common sense is considered mundane and too ordinary in the race to stand out or FOMO.The part about common sense being survived by its 4 step brothers was bang on.
This tongue in cheek post is a reminder that common sense is a rarity these days. Instead of trying to correct what is wrong, we find someone else to blame. Easy way out.
I knew this was your post even before I opened it, Chandrika. I’ve started attaching witty satire with you, and of course your fictional write-ups are great. An obituary to common sense, well we had it coming. It’s stepbrothers have sadly taken over now and are alarmingly delusional too. Fun read!
Common sense- Where are you? Dear Friend I am lost long ago that’s why the world is so stressful. People ignored me, insulted me and so I decided to say goodbye. But why you are planchetting me today, what’s the purpose… I was speechless what to reply to Common sense… Then I gathered sense and said …. Oh dear Common Sense the world needs you back or else someday we will lose our senses making this world a dam graveyard… save us and comeback with a rebirth we need you back.. That what I felt honestly after reading your powerpoacked and realistic post on COMMON SENSE.
It’s a brilliantly written piece. Indeed, I often wonder why people don’t think with their heads these days. At least, basic common sense should be a given to navigate day to day stuff. I loved what you wrote about common sense being survived by its 4 step brothers.
I think this is definitely a need of the hour read. Especially when people seem to search for common sense
RIP common sense. Totally! Gone are those days when people used to be Smart and phones and televisions idiot boxes .