People Value Materialism In Benjamin Franklin's 'The Whistle'

Thesis: In his autobiography, Franklin is undoubtedly concerned with developing virtue and self-improvement, but relies on others as the primary frame of reference for his own progress, always measuring himself with others. This habit of comparison results in the development of vices as well as virtues.

The affliction of vanity appears regularly throughout both pieces of work by Franklin and Woolman. The two men seem to be hampered by this vice of pride and wishing to possess humility. Benjamin Franklin addresses this burden of appearing vain as an issue and aims to improve himself with his constituted principles. He lists “Humility” as his last virtue he aspires to develop so as to “Imitate Jesus and Socrates” (Franklin, 79). How ironic of Franklin to want to be humble, yet strive for moral perfection! Franklin so much as prides himself on this list of virtues that heavily influences his life. However, he accordingly considers pride to be one of the most difficult to overcome considering one can “disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and will every now and then peep out and show itself...” (Franklin,

Benjamin Franklin came up with the idea to make his life better by trying to be perfect in every way. This can otherwise be known as trying to reach a state of moral perfection, in which one could find themselves being happy with the life they live, and also living a pure, sinless life. It has come to be questioned if attempting to achieve moral perfection is a worthwhile goal. In the end of his experiment he ended up not being able to reach or achieve his goal but learned a very crucial, very valuable lesson. He discovered throughout the recesses of his journey that achieving his goal would be found to be impossible, but in turn he learned that many of the virtues are good to try and maintain during everyday activities and through life

Blinded by the self-destructive American dream of “Marie-Antoinette music-rooms and Restoration salons” and “toilet sets of pure dull gold” most murder their morals and harm others in the process (Fitzgerald 5.91). Whether rich or poor two things can be assured: the poor want to be rich and the rich do not want

Materialistic items play a key role in the world today. People use these items, such as technological appliances, to fulfill their daily wants and needs. However, most people do not realize the negative effects of such a heavy reliance on material goods. In “The Allegory of the Cave,” Plato shares his idea that an overdependence on items can negatively affect ethical decisions. This idea is discussed in “The Veldt,” by Ray Bradbury, The Truman Show, by Peter Weir, and Daniel Key’s novel, Flowers for Algernon. Throughout all three stories, characters greatly rely on items and other people, leading them to make unethical decisions. In some cases, people are objectified as a result of being needed, desired, and treated unfairly. In “The Veldt,” The Truman Show, and Flowers for Algernon, an overreliance on items leads to a loss of focus on morals and what is ethically important.

Franklin, himself climbed the ranks society “having emerged from the poverty and obscurity in which [he] was born and bred to a state of affluence and some degree of reputation in the world” (Franklin 27). He had been raised by a humble middle class family, not being promised much wealth or land, forcing him to make a name for himself. Franklin, a man of the enlightenment,

In The Autobiography, Benjamin Franklin recounts the many paramount experiences throughout his life that shaped him into great American figure he was known to be. On the opening page, Franklin reveals the book’s epistolary format by writing, “Dear Son,” going on to admit that he’s made some mistakes in the past and to recollect that past is a way to relive it. By divulging his desire to “change some sinister Accidents & Events” (Franklin 3) the author indicates how important it is for his son to observe as he amends his mistakes. Pride, virtue and vanity play a pivotal role in Benjamin Franklin’s life and the way he portrays himself to others. Instances occur where the author is shown gloating about his great accomplishments and he puts

His autobiography is the first example of the completion of the American Dream. Franklin talks about his life history as an example to exemplify the most significant American character and principles, like strength of mind, self-reliance, determination, hard work, penny-pinching, and dependence on a code of moral principles are the elements of achievement. He describes how he became an excellent citizen through lack of money and steady assiduousness. Franklin established the potential of life in the New World through his own rise of the social classes. His family was poor when he was a child, but despite that, he became a very rich and influential man. In addition, he declares that he pulled off his achievements through a diligent work ethic. He showed that even ordinary people in Boston possibly would, through industry, turn out to be great people of significance in America.

Earning money in modern economic is a expression of proficiency and virtue it helps deal with his ethics. His argument is that “more and more money” is not happiness and ultimately it is “absolutely irrational.” Olaudah Equianos and Benjamin Franklin both use their arguments to express their point, however Olaudah uses facts and Benjamin uses his intellect.

One of the greatest classic novels in American history, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, lends itself to be an indispensible literary work that reinforces and challenges the core values and ideals that Benjamin Franklin expresses in his Autobiography. In the provided passage, the young Franklin arrives in Philadelphia in hopes of becoming a new self-made man and begins his journey with little money and few resources much like Gatsby. After arriving by boat, he tries to pay the people of the boat for his voyage but his payment is initially refused because he rowed the boat in order to get to Philadelphia. Franklin insists that they take his payment and says “A man is sometimes more generous when he has but a little money than when

In spite of the fact that Franklin was hardly a puritan, he was nevertheless very much a child of the Puritans. This is not displayed merely in his promotion of the virtues, but in his abstaining from excessiveness in eating, drinking, conversation, or whatever. Franklin is strongly influenced with self-governance In numerous ways, this is, to someone coming to it for the first time, a very amazing book. Franklin is, of course, one of the most celebrated Americans who ever lived, and his credentials in a wide arrangement of endeavors are a part of American knowledge and popular history. A great deal of this knowledge and numerous of his accomplishments are missing from this account of his life. He never finished the autobiography, earlier in his life on account of the fact that he was too engaged with what he terms public employment’s, and later in life by virtue of the opium he was taking for kidney stones left him incapable to concentrate adequately. Had Franklin been able to write about every period of his life and all of his achievements, his autobiography would have been one of the most exceptional and outstanding documents every produced. It is astonishingly imperious. However, his record as an office-holder is stained by the use he made of his position to advance his relatives. He was one of the most important statesmen in the new America and was a historical figure who shaped our nations history. He was a very

It is easy to see Benjamin Franklin was no doubt an archetypal American. No one since him has ever had the same amount of success as him. He was a private businessman who made enough money to retire early and to spend the rest of his life in politics. Around this time period only the rich were able to retire early. He was industrious. Franklin continually put forth the idea of the industrious American. He had support from the middle-class who did not care if he was rich but he was a man who was self-made and worked hard. This American attitude was formed early and most of it by him. Franklin was also not judgmental came to decisions and conclusions as a businessman and politician. However, his attitude was non-judgmental with respect to a

By explaining this, he is attempting to persuade people to follow his lifestyle, citing that by doing so, it is possible to cleave oneself of the hindrances that prevent a flawless surface and by not doing so, it is impossible to grind that axe to perfection, which solidifies Franklin’s position as the archetype for neoclassicism and

Franklin also gave many examples to the reader of his autobiography to practice diligence in minding the company they keep and gave much advice about keeping away from questionable establishments and having nothing to do with scoundrels. He made points to make friendships with people that were of good reputation, men who as himself had interest in education and industry and in his youth many older men whose advice he regarded before many life altering

While Benjamin Franklin was a great man, this book has become quite famous and therefore could be interpreted in several different fashions. Several accounts in his life show how Franklin was a bitter man who managed to achieve much more than others. Several people he met in his life are thrown aside because they are either inferior or lack the determination that Franklin so frequently mentions. He famously insults John Collins by calling him a drunk who never accomplished anything with his work. Collins was perhaps a lazy man where drinking hindered his reasoning, willingness to work, and approachability. With a final fight Franklin tossed him into a river for refusing to row their boat, Collins leaves with the promise that he will repay