Benjamin Franklin: The Biography
Benjamin Franklin looks out from the hundred dollar bill with a gleam in his eye and a wry smile on his lips. In modern times, the media would have a field day with Franklin’s character. He may have been a man who gave us such adages as “A penny saved is a penny earned,” and “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise,” but he was also a man who had an illicit affair and liked to sunbathe in the nude. Yet, Americans revere him as one of the nation’s Founding Fathers.
In fact, Franklin was very interested in building a strong and noble character within himself. He looked at the world in a unique way, always leaning on his own wise judgement for clarity and understanding while helping to found a new country. Franklin looked for the deeper meaning rather than bowing to popular opinion. And, without Benjamin Franklin’s influence, the U.S. would be quite a different country than it is now.
What makes a person worthy to be a leader, to shape the national image or to gain the respect of the people? Is it the way he handles his personal affairs? Or, is it his humor, intelligence and vision? Even in the 21st century, Americans often have a puritanical mindset when it comes to the people they allow to have an impact on the national image. In that respect, Franklin was way ahead of his time, and perhaps ahead of ours.
Franklin had little formal education. He honed his genius the hard way – with self-learning and experimentation. Always eager to know about physical phenomenon, he also delved into more ephemeral subjects like philosophy and music. He was the toast of Paris, a fashion icon and a philanthropist. He made his mark quickly in government and business, and then withdrew to retire at an early age. He wasn’t all things to all people. Instead, he was a vast and varied universe to himself, sharing his wealth of knowledge with the people he knew as well as future generations.
In Franklin’s time, he was known as a true Renaissance man, writing on political issues of the day, studying electricity, inventing and developing useful items, and practicing his own brand of diplomacy around the world. He was a lover and a fighter, a subversive and a patriot, an athlete and a thinker. And, there’s no better subject to study if you want to learn how to live the good life on your own terms.
Benjamin Franklin: The Biography
Benjamin Franklin looks out from the hundred dollar bill with a gleam in his eye and a wry smile on his lips. In modern times, the media would have a field day with Franklin’s character. He may have been a man who gave us such adages as “A penny saved is a penny earned,” and “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise,” but he was also a man who had an illicit affair and liked to sunbathe in the nude. Yet, Americans revere him as one of the nation’s Founding Fathers.
In fact, Franklin was very interested in building a strong and noble character within himself. He looked at the world in a unique way, always leaning on his own wise judgement for clarity and understanding while helping to found a new country. Franklin looked for the deeper meaning rather than bowing to popular opinion. And, without Benjamin Franklin’s influence, the U.S. would be quite a different country than it is now.
What makes a person worthy to be a leader, to shape the national image or to gain the respect of the people? Is it the way he handles his personal affairs? Or, is it his humor, intelligence and vision? Even in the 21st century, Americans often have a puritanical mindset when it comes to the people they allow to have an impact on the national image. In that respect, Franklin was way ahead of his time, and perhaps ahead of ours.
Franklin had little formal education. He honed his genius the hard way – with self-learning and experimentation. Always eager to know about physical phenomenon, he also delved into more ephemeral subjects like philosophy and music. He was the toast of Paris, a fashion icon and a philanthropist. He made his mark quickly in government and business, and then withdrew to retire at an early age. He wasn’t all things to all people. Instead, he was a vast and varied universe to himself, sharing his wealth of knowledge with the people he knew as well as future generations.
In Franklin’s time, he was known as a true Renaissance man, writing on political issues of the day, studying electricity, inventing and developing useful items, and practicing his own brand of diplomacy around the world. He was a lover and a fighter, a subversive and a patriot, an athlete and a thinker. And, there’s no better subject to study if you want to learn how to live the good life on your own terms.
Benjamin Franklin: The Biography
