Common Sense Is Very Uncommon

Common sense is very uncommon. We have often heard it, but do you realise
how often we ourselves make mistakes which can be commonly avoided. 

In the days of the landline, something we saw very often… and it may still be happening somewhere. When somebody we wanted to avoid speaking to, called, we would tell the children to tell the caller – “Papa ghar pe nahi hai.” And often the child would say – “Papa keh rahe hain ki vah ghar per nahin hai.” That was a fiasco which could have been avoided. Funny as it might sound now, did we realise that we were teaching the children to tell a lie?

Children are smart; they pick up things from what they see around them. Often they remember things that parents have told them in one context but will surprise you by using that same logic at a place you never expected. I will give you an interesting example. 

It happened to a friend of mine who was travelling in a rickshaw with her small children. We are quite used to seeing pictures of Bollywood heroes in the rickshaw promoting a movie. This one had superstar Rajesh Khanna on one side and Amitabh Bachchan on the other. My friend’s little daughter was highly impressed by the two heroes… And tried to kiss the pictures in her excitement as she came face to face in close proximity. My friend tried to tell her daughter that she should not do anything like this… As the hero is also just another human being! The kids kept quiet and settled down for the ride. 

After a couple of days, their grand aunt came to visit them… And granny asked the kids to bow down and touch her feet and take blessings. One of the little ones promptly blurted…  “She’s no God! Only another human being like us! ” 

Ever been to a book launch? What the book looks like is to be kept a secret,
so copies of the book are gift wrapped. During a typical scenario, the dignitaries stand up for the launch ceremony and the shutter bugs are ready and waiting for the big moment. And then it happens………the chief guest is expected to open the first copy……..… The ribbon usually has a knot which refuses to open when tugged ……..other guests try to help, and wow, they manage to pull it apart somehow.

Next is the wrapping paper. It is so tightly secured with countless pieces of cello tape. That is when another struggle begins. Then with a huff and a puff and several exasperated helping hands, the paper is finally torn off.

Is there no other way to do it I wonder? Sure there is, if we give it some thought.  

When someone is sick and hospitalised, why do we say “hum unko dekhne aa rahe hain”, or in Gujarati we say “Jova aaviye che”.  Should we be saying something like that? Is it a pleasant sight to be seen….when somebody is sick and suffering? I think it sounds very rude. It’s a good thing that hospitals have restricted timing for visitors. But we all need to become more sensitive. Apart from going physically… There are other ways to help and show your genuine concern. Like sending flowers, getting well soon cards etc. 

Sometimes actions speak louder and better than words. If a friend loses a loved one, no words can comfort but just a good hug can be very comforting and assuring. A nice tight hug can really be the Jadu Ki Jhappi. That doesn’t need rocket science. Hugging reduces stress and anxiety and can help improve your wellbeing. 

We get disturbed when we hear a lot of noise. Whether it’s the blaring DJ music on the street corner during festivals and weddings or neighbours playing loud music.  Or barking of street dogs at midnight. Angry and irritated at the situation, can you do something about it? Yes, you can learn to ignore them. Switch off your hearing faculties consciously. Easier said than done but it is possible. 

Can you stop the DJ?  No

Can you stop the loudspeakers blaring? No. 

Can you stop the barking dogs? No

You can of course request neighbours to reduce the volume a bit, will they listen? Maybe not. Maybe yes, for a little while that’s it. So you choose to ignore them and let it not disturb you. 

We can actually do the same with everything and everybody and not let it affect your blood pressure and your wellbeing.

Another example is of how language is used. How can anybody Celebrate something like AIDS? Ever seen posters about World AIDS Day or Cancer day – 1st. December or 4th February? When any function is held the communication reads “AIDS Day will be celebrated on 1st December”. Can’t we word it differently? Isn’t that common sense? 

Surprisingly even communicators tend to make silly mistakes. To ‘save water’, images used show water is being wasted!  A positive message/ visual should be used instead.

When new facilities are being built like the college campus, a hospital complex that involves various buildings, with some landscaping in between, including some garden areas, they always make roads around the garden block. I wonder why the designers of such a facility do not understand the psychology of a person on foot. …..  To take the shortest route! No matter how many sign boards are put up saying “do not walk on the grass”, people do and will keep doing so. Soon a path is created by the walkers on the shortest route. Why can’t the design include a path to facilitate this? It could be part of the design itself. How nicely it has been done in a private garden. 

These days many buildings have lifts. Where lakhs are spent on the installation of the elevator, nobody seems to be sensitive about accessibility up to that point. Often there are steps leading to the lift. Also as per government rule, all public buildings should be ‘barrier free,’ meaning it should be easily accessible to differently abled people and must have a ramp. To get the completion certificate ramps are made…. but the gradient and approach are not taken care of. Either it is too steep, narrow or the approach is flawed

In our concern for the environment, we plant trees. Tree guards are put to save the saplings, but after that the saplings are forgotten forever. Many don’t survive, because nobody bothers to water them. If they manage to survive on their own, tree guards start to restrict the growth. Should they not be removed at some time and used elsewhere?

*Lohri and Holi are festivals, we celebrate by lighting a bonfire. While setting this up organisers are unmindful of the consequences when the fire is lit and the flames rise high…… They end up scalding trees, sometimes the trees even catch fire! Is there no open space for this purpose?

While going for picnics in gardens and common plots, we carry food, water, drinks etc. We also remember to carry disposable plates and glasses. When will we learn to remember to carry something to collect this waste instead of leaving it behind? Mera Bharat swacch kaise hoga?