A friend of mine posted the following on his live journal:
Benjamin Franklin's 13-point plan for virtuous living
When Benjamin Franklin was 20 years old, he wrote up a 13-point "plan" for how he would live his life. He found that following the plan increased his happiness so much that he kept it up for the rest of his life.
He committed to giving strict attention to one virtue each week so after 13 weeks he moved through all 13. After 13 weeks he would start the process over again so in one year he would complete the course a total of 4 times.
He tracked his progress by using a little book of 13 charts. At the top of each chart was one of the virtues. The charts had a column for each day of the week and thirteen rows marked with the first letter of each of the 13 virtues. Every evening he would review the day and put a mark (dot) next to each virtue for each fault committed with respect to that virtue for that day.
1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness and drink not to elevation.
2. Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.
3. Order: Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time.
4. Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.
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.
9. Moderation: Avoid extremes. Forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation.
11. Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring; Never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
12. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
13. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
...
My response:
That doesn't sound like the Ben Franklin I know. The Ben Franklin I know
(from "1776", the multi-tony award winning musical), was an overweight
lush with a sharp tongue who enjoyed the company of women of ill repute.
It's common knowledge that Ben Franklin later retracted his 13-point plan
after finding it to be too puritan and, in general, not very much fun at
all. He later proposed a new plan as outlined below:
1) Stupor: Drink yourself silly, as so you may test your limits and to gain appreciation for a clear mind.
2) Noise: Assert yourself and make yourself heard. Quiet people have little or no influence on society.
3) Chaos: Drive your buggy on the left side of the road, bring your children to the office, and pour orange juice on your cereal.
4) Procrastinate: Don't stress about things you have to do. The important things will get done... eventually.
5) Spend: You can't take it with you. Purchase yourself something nice. What is the point of working if you never enjoy the fruits of your labor?
6) Relax: Do absolutely nothing. You deserve a rest. Life is not only about work.
7) Gossip: Tell a secret to someone else. You know, just to
shake things up and add some drama.
8) Judge: Judge others and make yourself feel better.
9) Adventure: Do at least one thing a day that scares you to remind yourself that you are still alive
10) Marinate: Forgo bathing and cleaning, and work on your natural musk the way God intended you to do.
11) Fornication: Explore your body and gratify yourself sexually every way you can, even if you have to take matters into your own hands.
12) Spontaneity: Do a senseless act without forethought or reason to see where it will take you.
13) Self-Affirmation: Remind yourself that you are awesome in every way. Imitate Chuck Norris and David Lee Roth.
"People will accept your ideas much more readily if you tell them Benjamin
Franklin said it first" - David H. Comins
Benjamin Franklin's 13-point plan for virtuous living
When Benjamin Franklin was 20 years old, he wrote up a 13-point "plan" for how he would live his life. He found that following the plan increased his happiness so much that he kept it up for the rest of his life.
He committed to giving strict attention to one virtue each week so after 13 weeks he moved through all 13. After 13 weeks he would start the process over again so in one year he would complete the course a total of 4 times.
He tracked his progress by using a little book of 13 charts. At the top of each chart was one of the virtues. The charts had a column for each day of the week and thirteen rows marked with the first letter of each of the 13 virtues. Every evening he would review the day and put a mark (dot) next to each virtue for each fault committed with respect to that virtue for that day.
1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness and drink not to elevation.
2. Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.
3. Order: Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time.
4. Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.
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.
9. Moderation: Avoid extremes. Forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation.
11. Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring; Never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
12. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
13. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
...
My response:
That doesn't sound like the Ben Franklin I know. The Ben Franklin I know
(from "1776", the multi-tony award winning musical), was an overweight
lush with a sharp tongue who enjoyed the company of women of ill repute.
It's common knowledge that Ben Franklin later retracted his 13-point plan
after finding it to be too puritan and, in general, not very much fun at
all. He later proposed a new plan as outlined below:
1) Stupor: Drink yourself silly, as so you may test your limits and to gain appreciation for a clear mind.
2) Noise: Assert yourself and make yourself heard. Quiet people have little or no influence on society.
3) Chaos: Drive your buggy on the left side of the road, bring your children to the office, and pour orange juice on your cereal.
4) Procrastinate: Don't stress about things you have to do. The important things will get done... eventually.
5) Spend: You can't take it with you. Purchase yourself something nice. What is the point of working if you never enjoy the fruits of your labor?
6) Relax: Do absolutely nothing. You deserve a rest. Life is not only about work.
7) Gossip: Tell a secret to someone else. You know, just to
shake things up and add some drama.
8) Judge: Judge others and make yourself feel better.
9) Adventure: Do at least one thing a day that scares you to remind yourself that you are still alive
10) Marinate: Forgo bathing and cleaning, and work on your natural musk the way God intended you to do.
11) Fornication: Explore your body and gratify yourself sexually every way you can, even if you have to take matters into your own hands.
12) Spontaneity: Do a senseless act without forethought or reason to see where it will take you.
13) Self-Affirmation: Remind yourself that you are awesome in every way. Imitate Chuck Norris and David Lee Roth.
"People will accept your ideas much more readily if you tell them Benjamin
Franklin said it first" - David H. Comins
VIEW 3 of 3 COMMENTS
sid:
i saw david lee roth live. is that sad?
abarat:
Drama queen. 