Blog Post 1

A quality that every American should have is humility. Without humility most everyone will become some sort of self righteous attention hog. Humility is essential in our society today, if everyone were to seek attention upon finishing or completing a task the world would be full of childish adults. Humility causes maturity and maturity is essential to have in order to respect one another. Ben Franklin makes multiple examples of why humility should be essential. “This doctrine, my friends, is reason and wisdom; but after all, do not depend too much upon your own industry, and frugality, and prudence, though excellent things, for they may all be blasted without the blessing of heaven; and therefore ask that blessing humbly.” (Ben Franklin Way to Wealth) Franklin is referring to this doctrine. “Get what you can, and what you get hold;’Tis the stone that will turn all your lead into gold” Franklin says not to depend entirely on your industry, and frugality and to ask for the blessing humbly. Humility is an important quality every American should exhibit.

I find that Franklin is using a number of ways to persuade his audience to accept his views of humility. He uses everything from extreme satire to narcissism even using humor as well. Franklin claims that humility is extremely important but earlier in the text he demonstrates a his narcissistic style of writing. “This pleasure I have seldom enjoyed; for tho’ I have been, if I may say it without vanity, an eminent author of almanacs annually now a full quarter of a century,” here Franklin “toots his own horn” by saying his almanacs have obtained quite a bit of popularity over the past 25 years. Franklin using this writing style to first catch the attention of the reader however he still believes that humility is essential in America’s society.