Common Sense vs. Common Practice (Revisited)

Common sense seems hard to come by.  Common practice, on the other hand, we live with every day.  The Democratic and Republican parties seem to be polarizing their views on public issues rather than to use common sense and honor the public trust they hold as elected officials. 

I received a call today from someone claiming to represent the Republican Party.  She asked if I thought of myself as a Republican, a Democrat, or an Independent.  Regardless of what party affiliation I may claim for an election, I usually think for myself and vote for the person or issue I feel is the best.  That makes me an Independent in terms of responding to the call.  As soon as the word came out of my mouth, the caller hung up.  (Not a bad thing, anyway.  I'll have to remember that trick for the future.)

Group think is a concept that began being used in the 1960s and 1970s.  Media coverage can help polarize ideas and encourage group think.  Another factor that seems to influence the process is bias towards or against the person or party promoting an idea, rather than using a filter of common sense to look at the idea itself.