May 2008

This is the 13th post on living the virtuous life like Benjamin Franklin. Our popular image of manliness usually consists of a man with a cocky swagger, a rebel who blazes his own path and stands confident and ready to take on the world. “Humility” doesn’t seem to fit into this image. Humility oftentimes conjures [...]

This is the twelfth post in a series about living Ben Franklin’s 13 virtues.   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. Editor’s Note: Before we get to the post, allow me to head off the would be [...]

This is the eleventh post in a series about living Ben Franklin’s 13 virtues. “TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.” Every day we encounter a thousand little annoyances. Some jerk cuts us off on the way to work, we get a flat tire, someone takes our lunch out of [...]

This a 10th post in a series about the Benjamin Franklin’s 13 virtues. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation. A common stereotype that society places on males is that of the sloppy and unkempt man. We see it all the time on television. A man sitting in his man chair with potato [...]