--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Common sense isn't a real thing. And its…" description: "\"“Common sense isn't a real thing. And its ugly cousin, fairness, is a concept invented so dumb people could participate in arguments.”\" — Scott Adams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/scott-adams-666_common-sense_common-sense-isn-t-a-real-thing-and-its_2777140.jpg" --- # Common sense isn't a real thing. And its ugly cousin… ![“Common sense isn't a real thing. And its ugly cousin, fairness, is a concept invented so dumb people could participate in arguments.” quote by Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/scott-adams-666_common-sense_common-sense-isn-t-a-real-thing-and-its_2777140.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/scott-adams-666_common-sense_common-sense-isn-t-a-real-thing-and-its_2777140.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/scott-adams-666_common-sense_common-sense-isn-t-a-real-thing-and-its_2777140.jpg) > ““Common sense isn't a real thing. And its ugly cousin, fairness, is a concept invented so dumb people could participate in arguments.”” [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Common sense is an illusion; fairness is a constructed concept used to simplify debates, often by those lacking depth. **In simple terms:** Common sense is vague; fairness is a made‑up idea for arguments. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about “common sense” and fairness. Themes critical thinking logic debate perception truth Mood skeptical analytical Type aphilosophical critical provocative When to use this quote - political discussions - team meetings - media analysis - personal decision making Key Concepts philosophy social constructs cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - Do you rely on “common sense” in decisions? - How does fairness shape your arguments? A Different Perspective It may overlook genuine moral intuitions that guide behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) [Dumb people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dumb-people/) [Fairness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairness/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) ## Related quotes > [“Had I done the right thing by not telling her? Maybe not. Who on earth wanted the right thing anyway? Yet what meaning could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/had-i-done-the-right-thing-by-not-telling-her-maybe-not-who-on-earth/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Fairness is a concept that holds only in limited situations. Yet we want the concept to extend to everything, in and out of phase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fairness-is-a-concept-that-holds-only-in-limited-situations-yet-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Fairness is a concept taught to nice children: it is the governing principle of kindergartens and summer camps and playgrounds and soccer fields.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanya-yanagihara/fairness-is-a-concept-taught-to-nice-children-it-is-the-governing/) [Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/) > [“referring, for example, to the principle of fairness, out of which our whole concept of equity and justice is developed. Little children seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/referring-for-example-to-the-principle-of-fairness-out-of-which-our/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [Fairness is a concept that holds only in limited situations. Yet we want the concept to extend to everything, in and out of phase.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/fairness-is-a-concept-that-holds-only-in-limited-situations-yet-we-2/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I wish I were dumber so I could be more certain about my opinions. It looks fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/i-wish-i-were-dumber-so-i-could-be-more-certain-about-my-opinions-it/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [Lmfao I'm sure dumb people use this one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berta/lmfao-i-m-sure-dumb-people-use-this-one/) [Berta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berta/) > [The shocking possibility that dumb people don't exist in sufficient numbers to warrant the millions of careers devoted to tending them will seem incredible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/the-shocking-possibility-that-dumb-people-don-t-exist-in-sufficient/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [I think the smart people will get even smarter, and the dumb people will get even dumber. 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It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tech-n9ne/guns-are-going-to-be-here-until-the-end-of-time-the-underworld-is/) [Tech N9ne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tech-n9ne/) > [I started realizing that I wasn't so dumb; rather, most people simply didn't know the answers to the questions that I was interested in-or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-kamen/i-started-realizing-that-i-wasn-t-so-dumb-rather-most-people-simply/) [Dean Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-kamen/) > [I'm a meathead. I can't help it, man. You've got smart people and you've got dumb people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keanu-reeves/i-m-a-meathead-i-can-t-help-it-man-you-ve-got-smart-people-and-you-ve/) [Keanu Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keanu-reeves/) ## More by Scott Adams > [The creator of the universe works in mysterious ways. But he uses a base ten counting system and likes round numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/the-creator-of-the-universe-works-in-mysterious-ways-but-he-uses-a/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“If you think your odds of solving your problem are bad, don’t rule out the possibility that what is really happening is that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/if-you-think-your-odds-of-solving-your-problem-are-bad-don-t-rule-out/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [Frankly, I’m suspicious of anyone who has a strong opinion on a complicated issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/frankly-i-m-suspicious-of-anyone-who-has-a-strong-opinion-on-a/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“If you want success, figure out the price, then pay it. It sounds trivial and obvious, but if you unpack the idea it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/if-you-want-success-figure-out-the-price-then-pay-it-it-sounds/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [Ideas are worthless, execution is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/ideas-are-worthless-execution-is-everything/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [For five hundred dollars, I'll name a subatomic particle after you. Some of my satisfied customers include Arthur C. Quark and George Meson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/for-five-hundred-dollars-i-ll-name-a-subatomic-particle-after-you/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“Failure always brings something valuable with it. I don’t let it leave until I extract that value.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/failure-always-brings-something-valuable-with-it-i-don-t-let-it-leave/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [The longer you verk here, diverse it gets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/the-longer-you-verk-here-diverse-it-gets/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“On all the important stuff, we are emotional creatures who make decisions first and rationalize them after the fact.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/on-all-the-important-stuff-we-are-emotional-creatures-who-make/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“What you rarely see is a stillborn failure that transmogrifies into a stellar success. Small successes can grow into big ones, but failures rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/what-you-rarely-see-is-a-stillborn-failure-that-transmogrifies-into-a/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“Because everything you perceive is a metaphor for something your brain is not equipped to fully understand. God is as real as the clothes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/because-everything-you-perceive-is-a-metaphor-for-something-your/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“Capitalism is rotten at every level, and yet it adds up to something extraordinarily useful for society over time. The paradox of capitalism is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/capitalism-is-rotten-at-every-level-and-yet-it-adds-up-to-something/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [The best part about being my age is in knowing how my life worked out. Sure, there's a lot more living to go, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/the-best-part-about-being-my-age-is-in-knowing-how-my-life-worked-out/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [If you see voters as rational, you'll be a terrible politician. People are not wired to be rational. Our brains simply evolved to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/if-you-see-voters-as-rational-you-ll-be-a-terrible-politician-people/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [E-books are impervious to analogy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/e-books-are-impervious-to-analogy/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) [Explore all 418 Scott Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) ## More Common sense quotes > [When you have a cavity in your tooth and you let it get worse, eventually you have to get a root canal. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/when-you-have-a-cavity-in-your-tooth-and-you-let-it-get-worse/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind before you reach eighteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/common-sense-is-nothing-more-than-a-deposit-of-prejudices-laid-down/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Below the 40th latitude there is no law; below the 50th no god; below the 60th no common sense and below the 70th no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-stanley/below-the-40th-latitude-there-is-no-law-below-the-50th-no-god-below/) [Kim Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-stanley/) > [I have never seen either a drop of piety or a grain of truth or ingenuousness - nay, I have never found common sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/i-have-never-seen-either-a-drop-of-piety-or-a-grain-of-truth-or/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [How is it that labels like 'centrist' and 'moderate,' which common sense tells us should reflect the views of a majority of Americans, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehdi-hasan/how-is-it-that-labels-like-centrist-and-moderate-which-common-sense/) [Mehdi Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehdi-hasan/) > [“It was true that common sense wasn’t her forte. It wasn’t that she was silly or stupid, but she heard so many more voices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/it-was-true-that-common-sense-wasn-t-her-forte-it-wasn-t-that-she-was/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [“The accident in your rearview mirror already happened. The one in front of you is still preventable. Pay attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nakia-r-laushaul/the-accident-in-your-rearview-mirror-already-happened-the-one-in/) [Nakia R. Laushaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nakia-r-laushaul/) > [In Raleigh, partisan battles, power struggles and lawsuits might grab the headlines, but we have to work together where we can. To look beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/in-raleigh-partisan-battles-power-struggles-and-lawsuits-might-grab/) [Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/) > [“Listen: Common sense doesn't mean what it used to mean." -Matthias Chalmers, STAIRWAY2 HEAVEN”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-thompson/listen-common-sense-doesn-t-mean-what-it-used-to-mean-matthias/) Chaz Thompson > [“when people’s brains are in defensive mode, it becomes harder to see common sense. Small disagreements can end up holding back progress beyond reason.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-webb/when-people-s-brains-are-in-defensive-mode-it-becomes-harder-to-see/) [Caroline Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-webb/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [ As we have seen after every other \[Donald\] Trump controversy, this one only increased their enthusiasm for him. His supporters thought the idea of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/as-we-have-seen-after-every-other-donald-trump-controversy-this-one/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [Using, as an excuse, others' failure of common sense is in itself a failure of common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/using-as-an-excuse-others-failure-of-common-sense-is-in-itself-a/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) [Browse all 1,942 Common sense quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Common sense isn't a real thing. 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