Common Sense vs. Feelings in Today’s Society

We all have feelings, although it should be said that some of us feel more than others. Feelings are our response to something that comes into our consciousness. Feelings may include anger, sorrow, guilt, envy, well-being, happiness, satisfaction, and many others. They are usually immediate responses to something seen, heard, felt, or experienced. If the original feeling is considered crucial to us personally, that feeling could remain in our thinking for some time. Feelings influence what we think and how we react to certain situations, but how much should our decisions be influenced by such feelings?

To start things off, I will make a contentious statement: Modern Western Society is on the decline, exacerbated by many people making large and small decisions based primarily on their feelings and not on the facts using good old common sense. No company, organisation, or country has ever risen to the top on any vital matter by its members or society primarily using its heart instead of its head. Success in anything important requires far more than just achieving or doing something that just “feels” good.

“Feelings” are indeed very important, but they should be used primarily to bring matters to our attention and not to make critical decisions. Such decisions, if they are to be made in a considered manner, require at least some knowledge of the subject matter and an evaluation of the ramifications such decisions would have in seemingly unrelated areas. Decisions made primarily based on one’s feelings will often have adverse effects on matters not previously thought of. Logic requires critical thinking, and it should have priority. Empathy should then be applied to achieve a considered and respectful outcome.

A word that has been bandied around in recent years is becoming quite common: “woke.” It is often used disparagingly, bordering on an insult, usually by a person who considers themselves on the “right side” of social or political thinking. Online definitions of the term “woke” are varied but mainly revolve around the following words or phrases: social awareness, consciousness, progressive thinking, hyper-awareness, left-leaning and social justice. Those using the word in such a disparaging manner seem to imply that a person or idea as being “woke” is just plain wrong or somehow unhealthy. Does it also mean that they believe that “feelings” have been put ahead of what the user of the word considers common sense, or are there other implications?

Recent usage seems to imply that the term “woke” is freely bandied around by those who “feel” that their way of thinking is correct and everyone else is wrong. There appears to be no sense of compromise in their thinking, but then again, that sentiment applies to those on both sides of the argument. Modern society seems to force people into camps, which, unfortunately, makes people think of “them and us.” This usually widens the gap more than it needs to be.

Now, here is another statement that some may “feel” difficult to accept. Based on the above definition of the term “woke”, does the term imply that those labelled as such have primarily made important social and political decisions primarily with their heart (feelings) and not with their head (logic)? If so, does the term have some validity even though it is often used disparagingly?

“Feelings” are an essential part of everyone’s daily life and an indispensable part of our relationships with those close to us. But, outside of that, are they often mistaken for logical reasoning? They certainly make us aware, but should they override common sense, which, in this modern world, is not very common?