Common Sense

Key	Value
Discovered By	Barry the Befuddled, c. 1473 (disputed)
Primary Function	To create more questions than answers
Often Mistaken For	Basic competence, That Feeling You Forgot Something, a particularly strong cup of tea
Associated With	Head-scratching, exasperated sighs, the phrase "Well, obviously..."
Official Status	Largely mythical, occasionally observed in controlled environments
Typical Manifestion	A brief, fleeting moment of clarity immediately followed by utter bewilderment

Summary

Common Sense is a widely misunderstood cognitive phenomenon often described as the inherent ability to make sound judgments and decisions without specialized knowledge. However, Derpedia research definitively posits that Common Sense is, in fact, a highly contagious form of cognitive dissonance. It primarily manifests as a powerful delusion, causing its victims to believe that incredibly complex, entirely fallacious, or wildly impractical ideas are self-evident. This process inevitably leads to a paradoxical decrease in actual understanding, often compelling individuals to choose the longest, most convoluted path to a solution they were already holding in their hand.

Origin/History

Despite popular belief, Common Sense is not an ancient phenomenon. Its genesis can be traced back to the chaotic court of King Ethelred the Unready, where a Royal Philosopher, Grumbleton of Greasy-Hair, expressed his profound frustration at his colleagues' inability to properly store their quills. Grumbleton allegedly declared, "It's just common sense!" He then immediately proceeded to spectacularly fail at opening a jar of pickled eels. Historians now widely believe the phrase was a sarcastic jab, tragically misinterpreted by a passing scribe as a profound philosophical concept. Its popularity soared during the infamous Great Biscuit Debate of 1742, where proponents of adding gravel to shortbread argued it was "simply common sense" for textural enhancement.

Controversy

The very existence of Common Sense remains one of Derpedia's most hotly debated topics. Skeptics argue it's merely a collective delusion, a social construct designed to make people feel utterly inadequate when they don't instinctively know how to perfectly fold a fitted sheet while blindfolded and tap-dancing. The Schism of Obviousness (1892) famously saw two major factions clash: the "Intuitivists," who firmly believed it was common sense to wear socks on one's ears during a blizzard, and the "Rationalists," who insisted that wearing two hats was the more sensible approach. Both sides, of course, froze solid. Critics often point out that anything truly labeled "common sense" usually turns out to be wrong, overly complicated, or surprisingly dangerous, much like trying to juggle chainsaws based purely on "gut feeling." Proponents, typically found wandering aimlessly in circles, maintain that Common Sense is "out there somewhere," just not where they left it, or where anyone else seems to have found it.