Anglo-Futurism: Common-Sense

Common-sense is considered by many to be the ‘obvious thing to think or say’. People use this phrase as a way to criticise something which seems foolish, idiotic or unworkable. Politicians are usually derided for policies which aren’t ‘common-sense’. But what is it? It is not as obvious as we may think.

A succinct definition is the collective wisdom held within the rites, rituals, myths and proverbs of an indigenous people. In England, many of these customs and customary sayings have been developed over a 1,000 years.

Proverbs like ‘birds of a feather flock together’ or ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’, help to express English common-sense.

Stories about Robin Hood, King Arthur and Boudicca, as well as the histories of the kings and queens of England, all hold common-sense within them. They contain lessons, which can help us navigate living in an English culture.

Common-sense is transmitted through the generations by stories, idioms and proverbs, and even fairy tales and nursery rhymes. A good example is the rhyme, Ring a Ring of Roses. It tells children to be careful of sneezing over others, as you might spread sickness. Little Red Riding Hood reminds children that even family members (Grandma was a wolf) can be cruel to you, so be careful. And even Humpry Dumpty (a very large cannon) reminds us to be careful when pushing the boundaries or things might break beyond repair.

Our Modern world chortles at fairy stories, thinking they are of no use for us today. They are just for the kids. We now have ‘The Science’ to tell us how to act. We can therefore abandon the superstitious past.

The truth is, they are not useless. Imagine if a politician was asked whether they were ‘crying wolf?’ It’s more powerful than, ‘Are you trying trick us?’ The first question has a deeper cultural meaning to the English. Though the second one is more technically correct, it wouldn’t pack the same punch.

Common-sense creates a narrative which helps bind a people together. By discouraging us to engage with common-sense, modern sensibilities have dug up the roots of Anglo-culture. Reducing us to using liberal or socialist frameworks, whose axioms are far shallower than the well worn wisdom of the ages, found in common-sense.

Anglo-Futurism looks back at this collective wisdom, seeing it as a valuable resource. Drawing forward the necessary elements we need to move our culture towards a more resilient society, readying it to go to the stars.

In some areas of discussion, common-sense is seen as an obstacle which stops radical cultural change in a society. They suggest that common-sense needs to be removed before it can progress forward. They would prefer people to rely upon fashionable conclusions developed through the social sciences, than to look back to their past to find the answers to today’s knotty problems.

Though, by relying on the ancient Anglo common-sense, we find a tried and tested method of living within the Anglosphere. This wisdom has developed not only over the last millennia, but has its roots in the great classic civilisations. It draws on the writings of King Alfred, Marcus Aurelias and Aesop, along with the Biblical traditions and Greek philosophy. So why try and reinvent the wheel? Why indeed? To trust in the past to help us now, is truly the common-sense thing to do.