Wow, Ben Franklin was a pretty damn smart dude, I am revamping my quest on virtue just a bit.

So I have spent a week or so exploring virtues and realized, old Ben came up with a pretty good list. I originally thought I might expand on each one, they seemed almost too simple at first. Well after exploring Temperance, Silence and Order I realized that he developed a seemingly simple list because one could easily get out of hand with what each meant. By out of hand, I mean creating something that is so detailed, big and cumbersome that failure would be the only possible outcome. Like any challenge there must be victories along the way to keep your interest and keep you chugging away at it. If the thing was to complex, like I was trying to make it, it would never pay any dividends in successes and I would most likely just quit. The engineer in me came out and tried to overcomplicate things that did not need complicating. I bet old Ben learned this as well as he created the original list. I have reverted to his original list, with his original definitions, which are below, and I am going to add just a few items, with simple definitions for each, to the list.

1. Temperance - Eat not to dullness; 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; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. Cleanliness - Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloths, or habitation
11. Tranquility - Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable
12. 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
13. Humility - Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

I was coming to the realization of my over complicating things when a great friend sent me some feedback on my long winded, complex and engineer designed definition of temperance. He said some things that brought my own absurdity into clear focus for me, sometimes the engineer part of my brain completely overpowers all the other sides of my brain, can’t seem to help myself. His feedback included the comment “shouldn't we strenuously seek peace, love, good will, etc., and shouldn't we be passionate about enlightenment , self actualization and improvement?” and the answer to that is yes. When using my bloated definition of temperance that was a no-no – stupid me right? He also said “I am reminded of many self-help strategies and plans that have been propagated in the modern era both in the secular/scientific and religious worlds and have to ask as I always have: is there a more direct, straight-forward , less process-oriented way of self management and improvement?”  I will be working on trying to control the engineer part of my brain because it does take over on a lot of things in my life.  


Brother you know me to well, “less process oriented” that was EXACTLY what I was attempting to do and I agree with him. Doing the right thing is not a process, it should be more like the Nike commercial – just do it! Doing the right thing is not about a multi-part management system. It is, and should be, a simpler philosophical or spiritual focus, or whatever name you want to give it, that will allow you to have a compassionate heart to pour love and understanding out of, to ourselves and others.

I have, however, decided to add a few virtues to the list and define them in very simple terms, like old Ben defined the virtues on his list. My additions are below

14. Mindfulness – live in, and be aware, of this moment in a harmonious way
15. Compassion - feel for other folks as we feel for our self.
16. Contentment – be satisfied with our possessions, status, or situation
17. Wisdom - Utilizing our knowledge and experience with common sense and insight.
18. Gratitude – be outwardly thankful to folks

One thing I do want to add to my quest is to add the inverse to them and not only work on cultivating the positive aspects of the virtue but work on tamping down the inverse, or negative conterparts. For example, When the apostle Paul speaks to thieves about their behavior, he does not merely tell them to stop stealing. In Ephesians 4:28 we read – “He that stole, let him now steal no more; but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have something to give to him that suffereth need”. Paul is giving instruction to work at that which is virtuous so that we can share resources with others who have needs. These actions will demonstrate the virtues of compassion and generosity. As I work on, and write about each virtue I will also be working on the opposite and writing about them as well.

And I have another question, I would like your help in coming up with one word that would describe a person who is making headway on all these virtues.

So who among you is in and wants to join me on this journey of self-exploration?