Read A lot ! discussion
This topic is about
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Biographies
>
Benjamin Franklin
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
[deleted user]
(new)
Feb 21, 2014 06:04AM
Revisiting...
reply
|
flag
On generosity:
A man being sometimes more generous when he has but a little money than when has plenty, perhaps thro' fear of being thought to have but little.
A man being sometimes more generous when he has but a little money than when has plenty, perhaps thro' fear of being thought to have but little.
This I think is more important.
It was about this time I conceiv'd the bold and ardous project of arriving at moral perfection. I wish'd to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all that either natural inclination, custom, or company might lead me into. 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. But I so found I had undertaken a task of more difficulty than I had imagined. while my care was employ'd in guarding against one fault, I was often surprised by another; habit took advantage of inattention; inclination was sometimes too strong for reason.
I concluded, at length, that 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.
It was about this time I conceiv'd the bold and ardous project of arriving at moral perfection. I wish'd to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all that either natural inclination, custom, or company might lead me into. 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. But I so found I had undertaken a task of more difficulty than I had imagined. while my care was employ'd in guarding against one fault, I was often surprised by another; habit took advantage of inattention; inclination was sometimes too strong for reason.
I concluded, at length, that 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.
Now check how we abandon in the midway, the author talks about an example...
....like I was almost ready to give up the attempt, and content myself with a faulty character in that respect, like the man who, in buying an ax of a smith, my neighbor, desired to have the whole of its surface as bright as the edge. The smith consented to grind it bright for him if he would turn the wheel; he turned, while the smith pressed the broad face of the axe hard and heavily on the stone, which made the turning of it very fatiguing. The man came every now and then from the wheel to see how the work went on, and at length would take his ax as it was, without farther grinding. "No," said the smith, "turn on, turn on; we shall have it bright by and by as yet, it is only speckled." "Yes," says the man, "but I think I like a speckled ax best." And I believe this may have been the case with many, who, having, for want of some such means as I employed, found the difficulty of obtaining good and breaking bad habits in other points of vice and virtue, have given up the struggle, and concluded that "a speckled ax was best"; for something, that pretended to be reason, was very now and then suggesting to me that such extreme nicety as I exacted of myself might be a kind of foppery in morals, which , if it were known, would make me ridiculous; that a perfect character might be attended with inconvenience of being envied and hated; and that a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance.
"Grapes are sour"
"Cognitive Dissonance at work here." What is it? In simple terms, our brains can't tolerate the dissonance of thoughts, in this case, one not getting the job done and the reward is less after so much trying. With this brain says,'Its not worth a try' like that...
....like I was almost ready to give up the attempt, and content myself with a faulty character in that respect, like the man who, in buying an ax of a smith, my neighbor, desired to have the whole of its surface as bright as the edge. The smith consented to grind it bright for him if he would turn the wheel; he turned, while the smith pressed the broad face of the axe hard and heavily on the stone, which made the turning of it very fatiguing. The man came every now and then from the wheel to see how the work went on, and at length would take his ax as it was, without farther grinding. "No," said the smith, "turn on, turn on; we shall have it bright by and by as yet, it is only speckled." "Yes," says the man, "but I think I like a speckled ax best." And I believe this may have been the case with many, who, having, for want of some such means as I employed, found the difficulty of obtaining good and breaking bad habits in other points of vice and virtue, have given up the struggle, and concluded that "a speckled ax was best"; for something, that pretended to be reason, was very now and then suggesting to me that such extreme nicety as I exacted of myself might be a kind of foppery in morals, which , if it were known, would make me ridiculous; that a perfect character might be attended with inconvenience of being envied and hated; and that a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance.
"Grapes are sour"
"Cognitive Dissonance at work here." What is it? In simple terms, our brains can't tolerate the dissonance of thoughts, in this case, one not getting the job done and the reward is less after so much trying. With this brain says,'Its not worth a try' like that...
And of course..
The list of thirteen virtues.
End of notes
The list of thirteen virtues.
End of notes
