I have been thinking a lot about what common sense means after listening to the conversation with Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Ian Arra and James Scongak, Bruce Power Executive Vice-President, Corporate Affairs and Operational Services in a Q & A on Facebook live on April 2nd.
The trouble with common sense is that it assumes a social contract amongst the general population. The general population by majority, in this area, is comprised of Middle-Class white folks with commonalities like child-rearing practises and religion, for example. As well, these folks have greater access to the good things in life. All of these things contribute to a general understanding of how “we” think things should be in the world, how business is conducted, how people should act, and, what is right or wrong. It informs our common sense.
The difficulty with that brand of common sense is that in spite of the idea that majority rules, many people in our society do not live like “us”.
I remember a couple of times when this epiphany hit home for me.
Many years ago, I taught Literacy at a prison. One of my students was jailed for theft, as were both of his parents. His version of the story was so real. He told it with such honest conviction, I really wanted to believe and agree with him. He was adamant that cottagers who abandoned food and liquor in beautifully appointed homes were doing so for folks like him. He had a need and he clearly believed their role was to fill that need. So, he helped himself to their bounty. And, in two years less a day, he would do it again. As the saying goes, he was a fellow that does life on an installment plan.
Another time, I was supporting a family who consisted of a parent in jail for destroying property and assaulting their partner and their teenaged child who was, as a result, homeless. In entering their world, I quickly came to realize that I needed to learn a new language and new customs in order to fully understand how to navigate through their situation. Trying to understand from my own life experience would not help me find solutions or support that fit their needs. It was truly eye-opening.
I also think about common sense when I read posts on social media where folks are attacking other cultures for exposing the world to COVID 19 because they choose to eat bats. In our culture, that just doesn’t make sense.
In retrospect, I remember the thrill of waiting for my parents to return with leftovers from the annual Muskrat Dinner at the local Legion in the small town I grew up in. Mmm…barbecue muskrat, tastes like chicken, maybe a little stringier. Squirrel is still one of the most popular game meats in many areas of North America. Bats, muskrats and squirrels, seem like ingredients that might be interchangeable depending on what you have available when you decide to put on a pot of stew!
So, as much as wet markets in our neck of the woods seem strange, I don’t think they really are. They simply don’t fit in with our brand of common sense. So common sense will not fix the problem. I believe the solution to ending the wet markets lies in poverty reduction and education. Unless folks no longer count on the market to supply their basic income/needs, markets will continue to thrive.
Education about safe handling and the transmission of disease will be necessary. Condemning folks for a lack of common sense will not.
One of the great suggestions from Dr.Arra ‘s Q & Q was to go to the Public Health website for clear, science-based information, rather than relying solely on social media.
Another common Facebook thread I see is on the topic of common sense is on the Swap and Sell sites. Is it safe to buy and sell goods right now? And maybe more importantly, is it necessary?
Necessity, like common sense, is subjective. I may need to sell an item in order to buy gas to get to work or purchase formula for my infant.
Some Facebook social distancing vigilantes are posting sightings when they spot potential violators of lacking the common sense needed to follow the social distancing guidelines. However, that “marked” person may just be a grandma babysitting her grandchild while their single parent offspring heads off to work at the grocery store. Grandma might be the only available baby-sitter when the Day Care is now closed. In that scenario removing the foggy lenses of common sense will help to see the true picture.
I guess the challenge with common sense is that it must be recognised as grey.
My suggestion for Dr. Arra is that in a time of critical need, I believe we need as many clear and concise rules as possible. When people are afraid, as many of us are, we need a simple and sound voice of reason to guide us to do the right thing. Our coping strategies are already over-taxed. Some of those coping strategies may be the result of a history no one knows about. To others, our coping strategies may be or seem maladaptive. Indeed, many of us with past trauma are triggered by our current anxiety to react to old wounds that haven’t fully healed. Compounded with isolation, this puts many folks in survival mode where good, clear thinking and common sense is a challenge.
What we need from our leaders is clear and specific goals backed by evidence. Spell it out in simple, easy-to-follow rules, it helps to lessen anxiety.
I also felt Dr. Arra’s advice about not panicking was spot on. I appreciated his comment that ideally, we need to be in the sweet spot of having folks concerned but not afraid.
For our own part, when we engage our common sense as is only natural to do, we need to try to remember that empathy, compassion and understanding will help us to react to the stress of these trying times in a way that honours all people. As James Scongak concluded at the end of the Q and A, when we look back on this scary time, we all need to be accountable for our own actions and reactions in our response to this epidemic.
