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1/ From a political comms perspective, a "Common Sense" centric Covid strategy is masterful because it comes pre-baked with everything you could want.
First, anyone pushing back on it can immediately be dismissed as either scornful of or condescending to "regular people".
First, anyone pushing back on it can immediately be dismissed as either scornful of or condescending to "regular people".
2/ Second, it positions you as the side of freedom, liberty and personal responsibility when compared to the nanny statism of one's critics.
Even voters in heavily regulated countries which approve of each individual regulation tend to oppose the CONCEPT of a nanny state.
Even voters in heavily regulated countries which approve of each individual regulation tend to oppose the CONCEPT of a nanny state.
3/ Third, it preemptively shifts blame for any negative outcomes onto a failure by a sub-group to exercise basic judgement.
The government thus goes from a leader whose decisions had negative impacts to a disappointed parent who provided autonomy and frankly expected better.
The government thus goes from a leader whose decisions had negative impacts to a disappointed parent who provided autonomy and frankly expected better.
4/ Fourth, it's a shield against complexity and difficult choices.
"Who should go back to work?"
"How do employers balance profitability and safety?"
Detailed answers require difficult tradeoffs and judgement calls.
"Just use common sense," pushes those calls onto others.
"Who should go back to work?"
"How do employers balance profitability and safety?"
Detailed answers require difficult tradeoffs and judgement calls.
"Just use common sense," pushes those calls onto others.
5/ Fifth, it's never entirely wrong.
Whatever happens, there's always going to be a role for common sense.
Coping with Covid requires a hundred judgement calls a day by everyone in the country and the government can't possibly (and shouldn't) issue guidance for all of them.
Whatever happens, there's always going to be a role for common sense.
Coping with Covid requires a hundred judgement calls a day by everyone in the country and the government can't possibly (and shouldn't) issue guidance for all of them.
