Ben Franklin Virtues

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was imperative to the Rationalism Period.  In those eighty-four years of living, he invented, revised and composed numerous things.  Franklin is known for inventing electricity and establishing the United States Postal Service, both of which are significant to people's daily lives.  Benjamin Franklin also invented swim fins, or flippers.  We just finished reading an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence that Thomas Jefferson wrote but was revised by various people.  Benjamin Franklin was one of the crucial revisers. One of the pieces that he composed was his autobiography that included thirteen virtues that he felt were meaningful.  The virtues consisted of: temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity, and humility.  "I included under thirteen names of virtues all that at that time occurr'd to me as necessary or desirable, and annexed to each a short precept, which fully express'd the extent I gave to its meaning" (Franklin 82).

The Rationalism Period was all about using reason and scientific methods and observations.  Instead of blaming God for all of the events that are happening and just praying that they will stop, the people in the Rationalism Period take charge and try to fix it themselves with logic.  Benjamin Franklin was one of those people who used logic and took matters into his own hands.  He saw that he had flaws and committing faults that he felt guilty living with.  Franklin could have prayed to God to fix him like the Puritans, but he decided he would figure out methods to help himself have self-control and self-knowledge.  The method he invented was the list of thirteen virtues that he thought were his weak points.  Benjamin Franklin trained his brain into feeling guilty if he slipped up.  "This article, therefore, cost me so much painful attention, and my faults in it vexed me so much, and I made so little progress in amendment, and had such frequent relapses, that I was almost ready to give up the attempt, and content myself with a faulty character in that respect" (Franklin 88).  In some cases, Franklin just wanted to give up and felt that he could live with his lack of moral perfection.  When he actually thought about it though, he knew that he would not be happy with himself.  On the next page he talks about how he wishes he would have done a better job of striving for moral perfection.  Even though Franklin did not reach the level he wanted, he was proud of himself because he was a lot farther than he would have been if he never started.  

Having virtues in writing exhibits something that would be seen in the Rationalism period.  Rationalism writing puts  "emphasis on self-knowledge and self-control" and "man’s ability to perfect himself and society" (Hanscom).  This means that people began to understand that they needed to take responsibility so that they could grow not only as a better person, but also to help the community become a better place to live.  "As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other" and "the mere speculative conviction that it was our interest to be completely virtuous, was not sufficient to prevent our slipping; and that the contrary habits must be broken, and good ones acquired and established, before we can have any dependence on a steady, uniform rectitude of conduct" (Franklin 82).  Benjamin Franklin tells us that knowing whats right or wrong is difficult to determine but if you work at it enough, it will not be as much of a challenge.  Becoming better at knowing what is right or wrong comes with practice, just like a sport or a musical instrument.  You have to stop the bad habits and create new, productive ones to actually see any results.

Benjamin Franklin was not just an inspirational figure in the Rationalism Period, but in American history.  Just think, where we would be if Benjamin had not of invented electricity or established the United States Postal Service.  Granted, someone else eventually would have fulfilled what Franklin did, but you never know.  I mean where would this world be without flippers? It is a very crazy thought.  From Benjamin Franklin, we can learn to strive for moral perfection and shouldn't give up when you feel like you cannot go on.  Learning to deal with challenges is part of living and growing up.  Even though he is  in Heaven and is no longer with us, "His electric personality, however, still lights the world" (Quick).

Franklin, Benjamin, Dixon Wecter, Larzer Ziff, and Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1959. 81+. Print.

Hanscom, Merideth, Julian Orjuela, and Megan Shannon. "Rationalism Period." N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012.

"Quick Biography of Benjamin Franklin." Quick Biography of Benjamin Franklin. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2012.