There is a famous quote “Known is a drop and unknown is an ocean” – Yes, that’s right. Knowledge is like that. It is limited, one cannot possibly know everything unless they are like special avatars created in those so called sci-fi movies. Whereas common sense is universal. If you have commonsense, you can refrain from becoming a situational victim. You will gain knowledge as you grow from real experiences in life, it’s not just a graduation behind your name. If you have common sense then you can differentiate between good, bad and can take the right decisions.
You would have come across sevaral people who haven’t even completed their education are CEO’s of large corporation across the world. They all believe Knowledge is to know. My simple definition of Knowledge is the ledger of things you know. Once they knew one thing completely, they start off, they identify the right people to do the right things using their common sense, they evaluate, they believe and get little direction and that’s how they evolve.
In simple, common sense is a judgement based on perception. Knowledge is defined information, and skills that derive from experience or education. Thats the reason I did mention Knowledge = The Ledger of Things you Know. I personally believe knowledge and commonsense is like Equality and Justice. One cannot be master of all. You know this “Jack of all trades, master of none.” Better to be master of one rather than being a jack.
Let me explain this better with a short story that talks about Knowledge vs. Commonsense. There were three friends, who went for a trekking. Two of them were well educated, one a scientist, a doctor and another one owns a petty shop business. They were climbing one of mountains, which was a dense forest too. When they reached half the way, one spotted a tiger sleeping and they realized within few minutes that the tiger was injured and unconscious. By seeing that the shop keeper’s friend told them, it’s a tiger, we can leave it as such it will get up after sometime and go. It dangerous for us to go and disturb or wake it up. Instead will let the forest officials know, who will come with the required medical aids. But the other two said, you are fearing so much, we will go, wake it and then run away from there when it opens it eye.
The shop keeper, said to his other 2 friends, give me few minutes and he climbed one of the tallest trees nearby and was watching what they were doing. Before doing so, he called the forest official and told the scenario. So both the doctor and scientist did not listen, they started giving some water and used some medicine used for humans with their knowledge mixed it with water and gave it to the tiger. So the friend who was in the tree said, you have done enough, I have informed the forest officials, better let’s move quick. But still those two said, we will wait till it wakes up. After a few minutes the tiger woke up and not even a fraction of seconds, it pounced on them. Meanwhile luckily the forest officials came, used the tranquilizer and put the animal to sleep again. Whereas, both the friends, had got hurt badly and were admitted to hospital.
So knowledge is not intelligence. In real, imagine if the shop keeper friend, did not call the forest official or acted with them. Two of those men would have lost their life. Animal’s characteristics is to hunt. It may hunt for food and also can attack because of fear. Until you know to handle it, it better not get involved. So common sense wins. So it’s good to have knowledge and excellent to have common sense.
