The Common Sense Con

Twisting Reality with Simplistic Narratives

"Common sense" is a seductive rhetorical weapon. Conservatives wield it with precision, packaging complex political issues into bite-sized, intuitive statements that feel correct—statements that bypass critical thought and trigger gut-level agreement.

Poilievre’s approach to defunding CBC while preserving Radio-Canada is a textbook example. It sounds simple and logical: "Cut wasteful spending, keep essential services." But it ignores the reality that CBC and Radio-Canada are structurally intertwined. The infrastructure, funding, and staffing cannot be neatly separated.

Yet, many people will hear his words and nod in agreement. Not because they’ve thought it through, but because it fits into the carefully curated worldview conservatives have spent decades building—a world where government is inefficient, the media is biased, and right-wing leaders are the only ones speaking "plain truth" to the people.

This is how reality is twisted. Not through outright lies, but through narrative simplicity that removes all inconvenient details.

Ask: Where did you learn that's common sense? I'd like to know more! Conservative common sense always has a source. It's not common. And it's not sense.

The Mechanics of "Common Sense" Manipulation

The conservative use of "common sense" follows a predictable formula:

1. Take a complex issue and reduce it to an intuitive, binary choice.
   • "We have too much government spending. Cutting CBC saves taxpayer dollars."
   • "Climate change policies hurt jobs. We need affordable energy."
   • "Crime is rising. We need tougher laws."
2. Frame opposition as "out of touch," "elitist," or "politically correct."
   • If you question their narrative, you’re not just wrong—you’re part of the problem.
   • Example: Anyone pointing out CBC’s structural reality is a "Liberal elitist" defending media waste.
3. Use emotional appeals over evidence.
   • "Hardworking Canadians" vs. "out-of-touch politicians."
   • "Taxpayer money wasted on media elites."
   • "Families suffering under Trudeau’s reckless spending."
4. Shift the burden of proof.
   • Instead of proving their claim, they force opponents to "prove" why the simple solution won’t work.
   • When faced with facts, they pivot: "Well, we have to do something."

This formula is effective because the human brain craves simplicity. We evolved to make snap judgments, not to untangle systemic complexity. Conservatives exploit this by presenting easy, intuitive answers that feel right—even when they’re dangerously wrong.

The Psychology: Why "Common Sense" Works So Well

The conservative appeal to common sense taps into cognitive biases that shape how we interpret reality:

• Availability Heuristic: People rely on examples that come easily to mind. If conservative media constantly pushes the idea that CBC is wasteful, that perception becomes "common knowledge."
• Confirmation Bias: Once people accept a simple narrative, they filter out contradictory information.
• Dunning-Kruger Effect: Those who know the least about a topic are often the most confident in their views—because they don’t see the complexity.

When Poilievre says, "We’ll defund CBC while preserving Radio-Canada," he’s not making a policy argument. He’s invoking a story that people already believe: that the government wastes money, that public institutions are inefficient, and that only conservatives have the courage to clean it up.

And once that story is accepted, facts become irrelevant.

The Consequences: When "Common Sense" Becomes Dangerous

This isn’t just a messaging trick—it has real consequences. When conservative leaders use "common sense" to distort reality, it:

• Destroys trust in expertise. Scientists, economists, journalists—anyone who contradicts the simple narrative is dismissed as an "elitist."
• Leads to bad policy. Cutting CBC won’t save money—it will kneecap independent media and leave Canada’s news landscape even more vulnerable to corporate consolidation.
• Creates an uninformed electorate. Voters start demanding simplistic, impossible solutions—because they’ve been conditioned to believe they exist.

This is how democracies decay—not through military coups, but through the slow erosion of a population’s ability to think critically about power.

Breaking the Spell: How to Counter the "Common Sense" Trap

1. Demand specifics.
   • "How exactly will you separate CBC from Radio-Canada without disrupting service?"
   • "What happens to the regional affiliates that share infrastructure?"
   • "How much money will this actually save?"
   • Make them explain. They won’t—because they can’t.
2. Expose the contradictions.
   • If public media is "bad," why is it necessary for francophones?
   • If conservatives hate "government-funded" media, why do they push for massive subsidies for oil companies?
   • When their logic collapses under scrutiny, their credibility takes a hit.
3. Reframe complexity as intelligence, not elitism.
   • "Government is complicated because Canada is complicated. Pretending there are simple fixes is either dishonest or reckless."
   • Conservatives rely on people being ashamed to admit they don’t have all the answers. Flip the script—thinking critically is a strength, not a weakness.
4. Follow the money.
   • Who benefits when CBC is dismantled?
   • Media conglomerates. Politicians who don’t want press scrutiny.
   • Ask why they want to sell off public assets—and who stands to gain.

"Common Sense" Is a Weapon—Don’t Fall for It

When a politician tells you something is "just common sense," your first instinct should be suspicion.

Because in politics, "common sense" is never about clarity—it’s about control.

The truth is complicated. Reality is messy. And anyone promising easy answers to hard problems is lying to you.

That’s not common sense—it’s just common deception.

This is what I’m working on. Tell me what you think, I enjoy the conversation! Subscribe and follow the work in real time.

Thanks!

B

Proconsul (@proconsul.bsky.social)

Visionary Strategic Growth A guide for ambition, bridging strategy with implementation for modern business - clarity, structure, and sustainable impact. I listen. If it’s possible, I’ll show you how. proconsul.ghost.io

Bluesky Social

"Common sense" is a political trap. It feels right, but erases reality. This isn’t about saving money. It’s about controlling the media.

It's not common sense—it’s just common deception.

PS -

Every time you hear the words common sense, make sure you make them define it, and find out where they learned it.

ben@proconsul.ca