Common sense 101 – why it isn’t someone elses fault

It appears from my web browsing that the average IQ in the USA is 98 (one site had 103.82), but in both cases we are pretty far from the top with the top five spots held by Asian countries (now do you believe in stereotypes?).  I did this “research” because the constant flow of news about people doing not so smart things aroused my interest. It turns out that 98 is just shy of the midpoint for average intelligence which ranges from 85-114.  Bright is considered 115-129 and moderately gifted 130-144.  Most experts put 160 as the starting point for genius.

Clearly America is not a country of geniuses.  Forget the STEM skills (science, technology, engineering, and math); we need courses in “common sense in everyday living.”  If everyone passed such a course there would not have been a housing bubble or financial crisis or great recession.

What got me riled about this was a story in the paper about student loans, the point being that parents and even grandparents are finding themselves on the hook for such loans as co-signers.  Many didn’t know what they were signing or what it meant the story says. Borderline mentally disabled is 70-84 on the IQ scale.  Some faced large loans because the student simply dropped out of college, others couldn’t find a job.  Who knew that if you majored in French your job prospects would be limited?

One woman racked up $80,000 in student loans following a divorce, then co-signed for her daughter for an additional $55,000; the daughter failed to pay her loan and the mother had to sell her house to make the extra payments. 

Then we have the woman who is voting for Obama because he gave her a cell phone.

Or how about the people who were talked into mortgages with monthly payments equal to their gross monthly income or those who used their home equity as an ATM only to be shocked when they could not sell a house that was underwater. 

The concept of buying only what you can afford to pay for or living within your means is an anathema to many people.

Many, most, Americans are ill prepared for retirement with no knowledge or understanding of what income they will need or how to assure that income for twenty or thirty years of retirement. Many are under the delusion they will be able to retire at age 55 when the fact is seventy or beyond will become the normal retirement age.

There are reasons why unemployment rates are not equal among all segments of society.

These aren’t bad people and generally not even dumb people, but you can’t go through life with your head in the sand ignoring what is happening around you, not planning, making poor decisions and not anticipating the consequences of your actions (and the actions of others).

Sure, this Country needs engineers and scientists, but a country with a population earning straight A’s in common sense and prudent decision-making may have far greater value.

The relationship between IQ and common sense is tenuous at best, so being average shouldn’t stop us from proving politicians wrong in their quest to make us think all our problems are someone else’s fault or that only government knows best. That’s how you treat children.

Related articles

• Elderly Americans Burdened by Student Debt Too (nakedcapitalism.com)
• It’s Always Someone Else’s Fault (thecollegeconservative.com)
• The Lessons of Common Sense | Family Your Way (durhamparents.wordpress.com)