Why Do Some Highly Educated People Lack Basic Common Sense? Daoism Teaches You to Attain Enlightenment
In daily life, we often encounter this phenomenon: individuals holding PhDs or master’s degrees become flustered when faced with everyday tasks like plumbing repairs or selecting ingredients, and even appear awkward in handling basic social etiquette. This contrast between “high education and low common sense” inevitably raises questions: Why do those with extensive knowledge reserves often lack fundamental practical wisdom? The wisdom of “enlightenment” embedded in Daoist thought may offer insight into this puzzle.
1. Cognitive Bias: Trapped in a “Knowledge Cocoon,” Overlooking Life’s Essentials
Highly educated individuals, immersed in long-term academic research, often focus intensely on specialized fields, gradually forming a “knowledge cocoon.” They habitually view issues through a specialized lens, overlooking the simple logic inherent in life itself. For instance, a theoretical physicist may precisely calculate celestial trajectories yet struggle to distinguish proper storage methods for different vegetables; a lawyer immersed in legal texts might adeptly handle complex cases but lack the skills for amicable neighborly communication.
Laozi of Daoism once stated, “The Great Way is simple.” True wisdom often resides within ordinary life. When people become overly absorbed in the “minor details” of specialized knowledge, they drift away from understanding life’s essence and lose touch with basic common sense. Like the “frog at the bottom of the well” in Zhuangzi’s fable, they see only the patch of sky above their heads, unaware of the vastness of the heavens and earth. Highly educated individuals trapped in the “deep well” of their specialized fields naturally struggle to grasp the common sense “heavens and earth” of everyday life.
2. Educational Imbalance: Prioritizing “Book Knowledge” Over “Life Practice”
Current educational systems often lean toward “theory over practice.” From elementary school through university, students spend most of their time learning textbook knowledge with few opportunities for real-world application. For instance, many students graduate without ever having cooked a meal independently or handled household chores. Moreover, specialized curricula in some universities rarely cover life skills.
Individuals educated under this model resemble what Daoist philosophy describes as vessels “having form but lacking spirit”—possessing the ‘shell’ of knowledge yet lacking the “core” of practical life experience. Basic common sense is often acquired through hands-on practice: understanding market prices by shopping for groceries, mastering basic repair skills by fixing household appliances. Those with advanced degrees who remain detached from practical life inevitably struggle to grasp such fundamentals.
3. Daoist Enlightenment: Returning to “Nature” to Accumulate Wisdom in Daily Life
Daoism advocates “following the Dao through nature,” asserting that true wisdom stems not from rote memorization of textbooks but from observing and engaging with life. To compensate for this lack of basic knowledge, highly educated individuals might draw inspiration from Daoist “enlightenment” practices, focusing on two key approaches:
First, they should “lower their stance” and immerse themselves in everyday life. Daoism advocates humility. Highly educated individuals should not dismiss mundane tasks due to their academic achievements but actively engage in daily affairs—learn to cook a meal, fix a leaky pipe, or interact with neighbors. This process not only builds foundational knowledge but also reveals life’s underlying principles. Much like the butcher in Zhuangzi’s parable who mastered the art of cutting up an ox through daily practice, high-achievers can similarly grasp the “patterns” of common sense through lived experience.
On the other hand, we must “simplify our cognition” and break free from the cocoon of knowledge. Laozi said, “Less is gain, more is confusion.” Highly educated individuals need not always view life’s problems through complex professional lenses; instead, they should learn to observe life with a simple, unadorned perspective. For instance, determining fruit freshness requires no complex chemical analysis—common sense methods like visual inspection and scent evaluation suffice. Similarly, navigating interpersonal relationships need not involve intricate theoretical models; adhering to the fundamental principle of “treating others sincerely” is ample.
Higher education should symbolize wisdom, while basic common sense forms the foundation of life. When highly educated individuals find themselves trapped in a “lack of common sense,” they might return to the essence of Daoist ‘enlightenment’—practicing in daily life and accumulating through practice. Only then can one possess both the depth of specialized knowledge and the breadth of life’s common sense, becoming a truly “wise” person.
