The Detroit times., 1917-02-15
Common Sense
nv n. ADDINcroS BRUCE
Author OF The Riddle OF Person
atty" Psychology and
rarenthood" etc.

From rniladelphis correspond.
,nt comes the following:
Il am n y~~ag man. 2, years or
age. college student, know what
study. but lack common sense. VIII
you please ofier remedy fer pro
cucing IA well as improving com
mon senseg"
This IL q request OF interest 10
many besides tho enc who makes
L. Fur. unfortunately. there are
many who feel forced "a admit. with
this young man. but they are lack
ing In common sense. Still moro
unfortunately. there are many who.
unlike him. fail TO appreciate that
common sense Is romt thing which
can be- produced.
Wrongly. they take II for granted
that common sense Is gift ot In
heritance. that man f. born With
II. or must forever go without It.
Whereas In reality II Ia always
product Of training along certln
lines. Ia particular. IL IL a product
OF training that aims Ia develop lCgi
cal. dispassionate reasoning with re-
gard To matters great OF small.
The chief enemy OF common serse
H. uncontrolled emotionallty 'Ths
man unaccustomed to control his
emotions is certain 90 be deficient
In common sense.
This because impulse. rather han
reason. will determine his Jldg
ments and govern hts conduct He
will act on ths desire Of the a0-
ment. regardless OF future cone
Quenccs Which Is the very oppo-
site OF common sense
Under tho compulsion OF his wish.
e. he will not allow himself any
time for reflection. or. II he does
reflect. his conclusions will b. color.
I'd In accordance with his immediate
| desires
The cultivation OF emotional control
il. therefore. the nrst step In pro
cucing or improving common sense.
And ~ Il an imperative step. He
who falls TO take II will find himself
perpetuAly falling into errors OF
thought and behavior.
But emotional control will not OF
itself make a man act In a common
sense way. To act thus he must
also learn TO pront from the lessons
OF experience.
And by this In meant not only his
own experience, but the experience
q other people. A man. for exam
PIE. does not need 10 experience
pneumonia In order TO become aware
OF the proper precautions TO take 10
avoid contracting pneumonia The
experience OF other people who have
had pneumonia should be enough 10
teach him that.
Nor does hs need 10 rim his
health by oVereatinR &c learn that
over-eating Is bad for the health.
| The fate OF others who have over.
eaten should be to him all The ex-
! rerience ne requires TO warn hlni TO
cat wisely.
Wherefore the man who wishes 20
acquire or increase common sense
must go thru life with his eyes and
ears open. Hc must constantly
seek 20 enlarge his fund of knowl
edge. with particular reference 20
causes and effects. lie must make
himself an attentive. a thoughtful
/ reader.
! And he must be constantly alert
I &c apply u himself the knowledge
/ thus gained When he has learned.
from personal experience. observa.
ton. or reading. that certain modes
OF acting have certain consequences.
/ be must LEI this knowledge deter
mine hts own modes OF acting.
That Is why the gaining OF emo
uOnal control "a 40 essential In the
acquisition q common sense For
Il Is one think TO know how 20 be
have. II is quite another thing 10
bend desire in the direction Of be
having sensibly.
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