Name: Erin Munchel

Journal #6

From Ben Franklin’s The Autobiography (p. 80 – 83)

Write a well-developed paragraph in response to the following questions.

1. Explain what was involved in Franklin’s plan for self-perfection? What conclusion did Franklin come to regarding the effectiveness of this plan?

Franklin wanted to perfect and simplify life. He did this by creating 13 virtues he thought were needed to improve his lifestyle. To him, every detail mattered, and everything should be morally perfected while organized. He practiced each virtue one a time until he mastered it, then went on to the next, always marking his faults or successes. Each day was focused on one specific virtue that he would practice. He was confident that his character was vastly improved by these virtues. However, he found it was very hard to always maintain order. Although he fails and was not perfect, he thought he was happier then he would have been without the virtues.

2. Do you feel that a plan such as Franklin’s would improve you as a person? Why or why not? What would be your top five virtues?

I feel that if I were to practice virtues that I made to improve myself, it would make me a better person. If I tried my hardest to achieve each virtue, I would probably be happier. If everyone picked out and understood their own personal flaws, virtues could be made to help perfect each one of us. These virtues focus on treating others in a good way, and putting passion into everything we do.

My top five virtues would be:

1. Patience: tolerate delay implying self control and forbearance.

2. Consideration: Putting others before yourself in order to display contemplation

3. Self reliance- relying on yourself, and no one else, in order to have significant responsibilities complete, and acquire a since of responsibility.

4. Compassion- regarding emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy as a part of love.

5. Honesty- being completely real and sincere with others, having openness with others in order to achieve better relationships.