Common sense - the ultimate oxymoron

The letters page of the Daily Telegraph earlier this week carried several contributions from people sending examples of oxymorons – terms that contain an inherent contradiction.

Among those offered by readers were: mankind, friendly fire, open prison, care home, public servant, pleasant flight and Australian culture. None of them, surprisingly, offered “common sense.” Yet this must be the ultimate oxymoron.

Indeed good sense is so uncommon that the government should create a Ministry of Common Sense to oversee ideas and proposals from all other ministries. The proposal to create super casinos, for example, could have been saved from ever seeing the light of day.

This is the problem with a Ministry of Common Sense, however. Much of its work would be to strangle at birth some of the sillier proposals of government. This would make it extremely unpopular with the media that relies on daft ideas for much of its coverage.

There is another problem with such a ministry. Who could be found to run it? Common sense suggests that there is a dearth of suitable candidates within the existing administration or among the aspirants. Sadly there will never be a ministry for common sense. For that we must blame another oxymoron: good government.