Franklin's Virtues

Throughout history, Benjamin Franklin's name has left its mark in all of the books, as well as in all of our minds. Being on of the greatest minds of the Revolutionary period, Franklin was known not only for his genius ideas, but also his strong moral character. Franklin is widely known for his system of 13 virtues that he used in an effort to transform himself into a better person. Franklin's system of virtues must have worked very well for himself because his autobiography contains many insightful quotes that he created throughout his life time.

He that loses five shillings, not only loses that sum, but also all the advantages that might be made by turning it in dealing, which, by the time that a young man becomes old, will amount to a considerable amount of money. (Franklin 15)

This quote contains a level of higher thinking that many people of the time would not be able to see. One of Franklin's virtues was industry, and that passage is a key aspect of that virtue. Many people would only see the 5 shillings lost, but Franklin considered the loss to include the business that could be created with the 5 shillings. Franklin's higher level of thinking could really only be obtained through his system of virtues, which is why I believe that Franklin truly did become a better person through his system.

Henry T. Tuckerman wrote a criticism about Franklin's character in 1856, which was nearly 66 years after the death of Franklin, but he thought so highly of Franklin that his review was mainly full of praises to Franklin. One flaw, however, that Tuckerman does point out in Franklin's character is the fact that he did not find an even balance between scientific development and religious growth (Bloom). None of the 13 virtues that Franklin followed "religiously" had anything to do directly with religion, which is surprising. One would assume that in an effort to become a better person, someone would make an effort to become a more spiritual person as well, but in Franklin's case, that is not true. That would be the one place I find fault in Franklin's system of virtues. Yes, they may have overall made him a better person, but leaving out a key aspect of life is a major downfall on his part. To truly create a well balanced, better person, someone should focus not only on the physical characteristics of a good person, but also the spiritual aspects of a good person.

While Franklin's system lacked a spiritual aspect, I believe that overall he was successful in becoming a better person, and Tuckerman's criticism is a reflection of my thoughts. Tuckerman wrote:

His wisdom was applicable to the immediate and the essential in daily and common life; he dealt chiefly with details; he advocated habits, ideas, and methods based on positive utility. (Bloom)

All Franklin wanted to do with his system of virtues was make himself a better person, and "advocating habits, ideas and methods based on positive utility" (Bloom) is definitely a good start at making someone a better person.

Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. New Haven: Yale UP, 1964.
Print.

Bloom, Harold, ed. "The Character of Franklin." Benjamin Franklin, Classic Critical Views. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.aspItemID=WE54&SID=1&iPin=CCVBF019&SingleRecord=True. October 27, 2011.