Ben Franklin’s Virtues – Part 3

There’s a story about Ben, having just arrived in Philadelphia. He was walking down the street, with a long roll of bread under each arm. He’d just spent the last of his money.

Although he was 17 years old and a fugitive from his apprenticeship in Boston, his mind, it seems, was on immediate matters.

He had already been in trouble for writing letters to his brother’s newspaper under the pseudonym Silence Dogood. He impersonated a middle-aged widow to voice opinions about the establishment in Boston.

He ended up in England for a few years, then returned to Philadelphia to get down to business. The second group of his virtues reflect that focus on practical matters.

The second four of Ben’s 13 Virtues

5. Frugality. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing

6. Industry. Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions

7. Sincerity. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly

8. Justice. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty

Frugality and industry go together, in that the focus is on productivity. Work to bring in more business, and stop up the drain of unnecessary loss. Forward motion comes from choosing goals, then acting on them with purpose.

Similarly, sincerity and justice both point out the importance of being aware and making a conscious decision before speaking or acting. Why create ill will or problems from a thoughtless comment or action?

More to come…