Terms I’m not a fan of and avoid using cause words and their meaning matters

Terms I Won’t Use

1. “Common Sense”

Definition: A phrase often used to imply that something should be obvious to everyone, usually without considering differences in background, experience, or neurodiversity.

Why I won’t use it:

“Common sense” assumes shared knowledge—but we don’t all grow up with the same instructions, environments, or ways of processing information. Using this term can shut down communication, make someone feel stupid, or excuse poor design and lack of instruction.

Example:

Someone struggles to open a door with an unconventional latch. Instead of explaining, someone nearby says, “It’s just common sense—watch how others do it.”

This assumes the person is:

Observant in that moment Knows what a “normal” door is like Feels safe or calm enough to analyze the behavior of others

A more helpful approach?

“Hey, this door’s weird—there’s a latch at the top you slide left.”