The Invisible Mentor

Posts Tagged ‘Confucius’

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

By Benjamin Franklin

A few days ago I posted a blog titled “Benjamin Franklin in 10 Tweets,” and thought it would be a great follow-up to have today’s post. I reviewed The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin for Ambeck Edge in November 2004 and recommended it with reservation because it was so difficult to read. Four years later, in 2008, I read The Autobiography and Other Writings (Penguin Classics), and found it was easier to read the second time around. Here is the original book review, and the sections highlighted in red are new information that I have added to the review.

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is an excellent book, but very difficult to read. It is written in old English and not structured in a way that you would expect. It took three attempts for me to finally read it through. To read this book and get the most from it, you need to set aside at least two hours. This is not a book to read in 15-minute time slots, and you’ll need an open mind when reading it.

The effort you make in reading this book is well worth it. Even though the information in this book was originally recorded in a manuscript in the 1700s, it’s timeless, and reaffirms that there are no new ideas. You will come away feeling richer. There are many lessons you can learn from reading this book. I am amazed at the way he used information to educate the masses.

Franklin wanted to introduce what he called a public subscription library, but when he tried to get the subscriptions, people objected and were reluctant to participate because it was “Franklin’s project”. He immediately learned that it was often more important to relinquish control of a project to benefit humanity if doing so would make it be accepted.

In the book, Franklin talks about his 13 virtues, which he tried to integrate into his life – temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity and humility. He chose a virtue and focused on it for the entire week. Benjamin Franklin wanted to be morally perfect, but found perfection to be elusive. He realized that being perfect wasn’t possible, but he was glad he tried because he was a happier and better man after trying. Some of the virtues may not make sense in today’s world, but it is still worth thinking about. In May 2009 while I was reading The Analects of Confucius, Confucius outlined precepts to live by which reminded me of Franklin’s 13 virtues.

Franklin was also an excellent time manager, accounting for every minute in the day and would never go to bed without first examining his day. As I am revisiting this book review, I am reminded of Socrates‘ famous quote “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Benjamin Franklin, inventor, printer, publisher, business owner, franchiser, master of strategic alliances, fundraiser and so much more, gives new meaning to the terms “Jack of all Trades” and workaholic.

Five Great Ideas

1. Develop a Code of  Conduct for the way you live and work, so that when situations arise you know how to respond
2. Provide useful information to your clients
3. After making the first $1 million, it is easier to make the second
4. Before going into partnerships, develop contracts with clearly defined expectations and exit clauses to protect all involved parties
5. History is filled with mistakes, learn from them

I recommend this book with reservation because even though it’s so difficult to read.

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Benjamin Franklin in 10 Tweets
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The Analects of Confucius

Excerpt from  Ambeck Edge, November 2004

One of the things I discovered about myself is that the more I read, the more creative I am, and the more great ideas I generate. I thought I would have some fun with this blog post and create tweets (less than or equal to 140 characters) for some great people who died. Click on the links to learn more. Enjoy and let me know what you think.

@Einstein I was surprised when Time magazine named me Person of the Century, thx to Max Talmud 4 exposing me 2 key texts in science & math

@FlorenceNightingale Thx 2 Charles Villiers for supporting me when I advocated for improved healthcare in infirmaries

@RolloMay I’m convinced I got it right “The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice … it is conformity” Man’s Search for Himself

@Archimedes I was so excited when I figured out how 2 measure the volume of an irregular object I ran down the street naked shouting Eureka

@Gutenberg I had no idea that inventing the printing press would so profoundly impact info dissemination, of course the Internet helped

@TheWrightBrothers No one succeeds alone, we’re gr8ful to Otto Lilienthal, whose research was instrumental in assisting us to invent the airplane

@Confucius I’m both teacher and student, learn more by reading the Analects of Confucius online

@MarieAntoinette Things u may not know abt me, I am fond of music, I cld barely read or write at age 12, and I believe in giving to charity

@LadyGodiva I’m not an exhibitionist, I rode naked on a horse to protest the oppressive taxes my husband imposed on his tenants

@MartinLutherKingJr We are our brother’s keeper, what affects one of us affects all of us

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s last speech

Rollo May Existential Psychotherapy Video

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• Chow Yun-fat to play Confucius in China-backed film (guardian.co.uk)
• Wise words of Confucius (telegraph.co.uk)

Photo credit: Public domain, photo of Archimedes

The Analects of Confucius is a collection of the teachings of Confucius, the Chinese philosopher and great thinker who lived 551 BC – 479 BC.

Presented as a series of discourses and dialogues that Confucius had with his disciples, The Analects of Confucius was written by his disciples several years after he died. The Analects consists of 20 Books (Chapters) and is essentially a rulebook of life. While reading this rulebook, it reminded me of Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Virtues: temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity and humility.

Just as it is in the case of  Franklin’s virtues, some of the rules in Confucius’ rulebook are no longer relevant today, but I also appreciated reading The Analects of Confucius the same way that I appreciated reading The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin because some gems of wisdom are scattered throughout both texts.

Below are some of the things which stood out for me. Though I was not always comfortable with the language,  I am very mindful of when The Analects of Confucius was written. I am sure that your list would be different.

1. Confucius said, “Those who are born with the possession of knowledge are the highest class of men. Those who learn, and so readily get possession of knowledge, are the next. Those who are dull and stupid, and yet compass the learning, are another class next to these. As to those who are dull and stupid and yet do not learn; they are the lowest of the people.”
2.  The philosopher Tsang said, “I daily examine myself on three points: whether, in transacting business for others, I may have been not faithful; whether, in intercourse with friends, I may have been not sincere; whether I may have not mastered and practiced the instructions of my teacher.”
3.  The philosopher Yu said, “When agreements are made according to what is right, what is spoken can be made good. When respect is shown according to what is proper, one keeps far from shame and disgrace. When the parties upon whom a man leans are proper persons to be intimate with, he can make them his guides and masters.”
4.  ”To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage.”
5.  The Master said, “Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. Have no friends not equal to yourself. When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.”
6.  Tsze-chang asked what were the characteristics of the good man. The Master said, “He does not tread in the footsteps of others, but moreover, he does not enter the chamber of the sage.”
7.  The Master said, “When internal examination discovers nothing wrong, what is there to be anxious about, what is there to fear?”
8.  The Master said, “Do not be desirous to have things done quickly; do not look at small advantages. Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly. Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished.”

 The Analects of Confucius is easy to read because it’s not very long. Click here to download an online version of the book. I am sure after reading it you will find your own gems of wisdom. So what did I get from reading The Analects of Confucius? Act with courage and integrity, be thorough, chart your own path and learn continuously, are a few of the gems I identified.

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Faithfulness and sincerity are the highest things. (quotationsbook.com)
Meet the future of teaching: Mr Confucius (guardian.co.uk)

Photo credit: Public domain photo of Confucius