January 21, 2025- One of the stated principles of the new administration in the Executive Branch is “the return of common sense.” We’ll see.

The concept means different things to different people. As one who used to overthink matters, or rush through things without a thorough thought-process, or sometimes both at once, I began to consistently adhere to common sense, rather late in life. Now, though, even the most random or novel of events are unlikely to throw me off.

There are matters that would appear to be easily decided by common sense-like “two sexes”. That is what is necessary for natural procreation. IVF and artificial insemination also require a male/female interaction. In the world of modern genetics, however, the effects of chemical contamination, from microplastics in the blood stream to adulterated foods, have been more and more evident in the past three decades. Thus, mutations present themselves, across the world of nature, including the human race. Common sense tells me to accept people as they are.

There is the matter of criminal justice. “What constitutes a crime?” is a process that has evolved, since the dawn of civilization as we know it, across the continent of Asia, in northeast Africa and in various parts of the Americas. Punishment of crimes has likewise evolved. Common sense would seem to indicate that a crime has been committed when one or more persons cause injury or death to one or more other people, or when they steal, or cause damage to, public property or the private property of others. This has been complicated, by the notion that public order is at risk, if a certain level of respect is not shown to rulers or other public officials. Common sense tells me that ridicule, alone, does not impede a leader’s , or other official’s, ability to do her/his job. An emotionally secure person can take quite a lot of ridicule.

We will see to what extent common sense prevails, in the next four years-and beyond.