Common Sense 2022

Many of you have probably heard of my forefather and namesake, Thomas Paine. He was the author of the controversial 47-page pamphlet, “Common Sense” which arguably played a central role in rallying public opinion to fight for independence against Great Britain. It was titled “Common Sense” because Paine felt that “Americans should trust their inner feelings for good and wise purposes.” Much like my ancestor from 250 years ago, similar sentiments appear to be prevalent in today’s society. In fact, a lot of the arguments made in January 1776, the year Common Sense was published, can be made today.

Complacency

I’m a simple, rule-abiding, American citizen. I’ve been very fortunate my entire life, never really having to struggle. One would say I have become complacent with my surroundings, and have taken the approach most of my life that, “Hey, as long as it’s not affecting me directly, so be it.” I work hard for every penny I make and honor and respect everyone around me.

Looking back in history, before the 13 colonies declared independence, most people felt the same way. Many Americans lived much more comfortably than the citizens of Great Britain at that time. Sure they felt that the high taxes were unfair and unjustified…but, much like people in the present, they were complacent. The battle with Great Britain initially was regarding the high taxes. Most people were not motivated to fight or risk becoming a traitor to the monarch simply for taxes…especially when they had it so good.

Sound familiar? 

The purpose of this article isn’t to persuade readers to take a side on vaccinations or political parties…it’s simply a request to use logic…open your inner feelings and flex your common sense. Our complacency has created a lazy society that relies on third-party information that may or may not be true. Some of this information completely defies logical thinking but becomes mainstream because it is the “popular” voice. For the sake of this article, let’s all put aside any political affiliation, race, geographic preferences, culture, and vaccination status for a few minutes and focus on the three main ingredients missing in today’s society; logic, accountability, and respect.

Logic

“Logic” was the basis of my forefather’s pamphlet, “Common Sense.” You may have heard about it or learned about it in history class. “Common Sense,” written by Thomas Paine in 1776, was a 47-page pamphlet that by today’s standards went “viral” selling over 500,000 copies. It was read in taverns and town halls. It was a well-thought-out ideology stating how the 13 colonies should declare independence, not just fight against unfair taxation. It inspired people to stand up and believe they deserved better. It used logic to convince the communities in the 13 colonies to unite and take a stand.

“Common Sense” is thought of as one of the most instrumental motivators that lead to the American’s winning the Revolutionary War.

The Revolutionary War started because of “taxation without representation.” The Americans were being unfairly taxed by Great Britain, but contrary to many thoughts, the lives of people living in America at this time were better off than the average citizen living in Great Britain before the war. Because of this, many Americans weren’t compelled to rise up against the monarchy. They didn’t have the passion and really didn’t want to go against the system.

Britain has a history of being very harsh to rebels that fought against them and it created a divide in the culture of the 13 colonies.  Paine wrote in “Common Sense” about England’s constitution…

“The constitution of England is so exceedingly complex, that the nation may suffer for years together without being able to discover in which part the fault lies, some will say in one and some in another, and every political physician will advise a different medicine.”

Paine’s widespread literature opened the eyes of the people of America, allowing them to understand what they already knew, but just were not thinking logically and without influence. If this article creates even 1% of the impact that my great, great, great, great, grandfather had, I’d be honored and excited. And just to remind you, this was not created to sway readers to anything but to think for themselves…simply put, it’s irrelevant who, or what you affiliate with or identify as. If you’re looking to create a culture based on the principles of logic, accountability, and respect, then you’re in the right place. This is an encouragement for you to use the gifts and talents you were born with to make your own decisions. You should never let anyone bully you into believing or doing something that you know in your heart isn’t right.

I don’t know the answer, and I don’t claim to know the answer.

What I do know is that there has been a lot of misinformation being put into the public on all sides. There have been stories that are squashed because they do not align with the mainstream agency, regardless of the truth or logic behind them. Even if there is one story you know regarding hidden truths, it’s enough to create doubt. This doubt creates controversy and there has been a strong divide in our country because people just want to be right…regardless of logic. We live in the UNITED States of America. This country is great because we created it together, as a united community that was established under God as a strong community. We have been able to overcome so much because we did it together. And it’s going to take us getting back together to overcome this surge of hatred, suffering, and fear.

Is America perfect?

Not even close. But we have the freedom to change what isn’t right. In the grand scheme of things, this country is relatively new. At one point our country wouldn’t allow women to vote, and people could own other people. Sounds ridiculous in today’s world, but our freedoms allowed us to adjust the laws to create a better community. As Americans, we took responsibility for our actions and made a change. This brings me to the second thing that’s missing in today’s society…accountability.

Accountability

If you make a mistake, own it. It’s one of the hardest things for kids to learn because it’s easier to get away with mistakes by simply pointing a finger. I get that all mistakes aren’t completely controlled by you…but think about the situation and if there was something that you could’ve done that would have changed the outcome to be positive. Own it. It’s that simple. 

As a kid, I made a lot of mistakes. I got caught a lot too, and every time I got caught, it ended with an “I’m sorry.” My parents sat me down and explained to me why what I did was wrong. They told me that if you’re truly sorry about what you did, you not only take responsibility for your actions, but you work to never repeat those actions in the future. 

Seems simple enough…take responsibility for your actions, yet we live in a culture of finger pointers. I don’t truly understand the root of it, but I think a lot of it has to do with the short-term risk of being guilty versus the long-term repercussions of being honest and truthful. The star athlete couldn’t have failed the test or taken illegal drugs, that would hurt his chances for scholarships, etc, etc. The simple fact is that the same rules should apply to everyone…if you break the law, you should pay the penalty. 

Seems more prevalent than ever that there has been a huge influx of misinformation getting spread across media channels. What I used to consider reliable resources have pushed false information or withheld factual information. I’m not sure why…there are many conspiracies regarding the why…that’s not what this is about. This is about using common sense and logic to see the truth. There was a lab in Wuhan, China that dealt with the exact strain of virus that was first detected in Wuhan, China. Logic says that it came from that lab. But if you said that on Twitter you would get banned. The media reported that it couldn’t have come from the lab without doing any investigation. Guess what…statistics today show that there is a 97% certainty that it came from the lab. Duh. Logic. 

But the saddest part of this is that all of the media channels that were wrong…the social outlets that were wrong didn’t say a thing. They just moved on where their daily lives and were never held accountable for their actions. Without accountability, it’s hard to have trust. Without trust, you cannot have a united community. So be sure the next time you have a role in something that didn’t go exactly right, raise your hand and say, “you know what, I could do something in a positive way to change that outcome and I messed up.”  When you do that, you’ll not only earn trust, but you’ll also earn respect.

Respect

Yes…respect. The third thing lacking in today’s world. Respect can be a funny thing, and lately, it seems that we group disrespect with labels. “All cops are bad.” “All Republicans are _____.” We don’t give anyone a chance to earn respect, and immediately attack based on preconceived biases that have been created through a lack of common sense and accountability. Yes…some cops are assholes. But you know, the majority of cops I know risk their lives every day to protect others. Now more than ever because they are being targeted. You never see an officer living a luxurious life because they don’t get paid shit. I agree there is an issue, but no issue was ever resolved with disrespect.

Social media has made it really easy for people to voice their opinions because they get to hide behind a screen. I guarantee that if these conversations were held face to face, 90% of the comments would be worded differently. Hate creates hate, just as love creates love. We need to find better ways to understand each other and challenge ourselves to find common ground.

America is one of the greatest countries in the world because it has so many cultures in it. This country is relatively new and established by the most courageous people and cultures from around the world. Think about it…every culture that is here, gave up everything to start a fresh new life. Everything. I get upset if I leave my phone at home…could you even imagine how challenging that must have been. All of the hardships they had to overcome. That’s why we are all bad-asses because our ancestors figured out how to overcome. 

When talking about respect, it’s important to include those that sacrifice their lives for the sake of others…our military. Veterans and active military do not get the respect they deserve. I think they are well-liked, but many don’t understand the hardships they face when trying to adjust after the war. In 2020 there were 37,252 recorded homeless veterans. Last year 6,271 veterans committed suicide. The battles they fight when they get home aren’t necessarily prevalent on the outside. PTSD affects 1 in 4 veterans, and they currently do not get the help they need. So the next time you see a veteran out, tell them thank you, buy them a coffee, simply show them respect.

United we stand.

It might seem like America is a shit show right now, but “we the people” have the opportunity and freedom to change that. It can be as simple as adding more logic, accountability, and respect in your daily life. United we stand…divided we fall. Let’s have compassion for our fellow Americans. 

Thanks for reading and God Bless America!

Thomas Michael Paine