Are you practicing the virtue of tranquility? Here are 5 questions to ask yourself at your Ben Franklin Circle. Franklin’s definition: “Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.” 1. What are the consequences of failing to be tranquil? 2. When was the last time a “trifle” or “accident” bothered… Read more »
At the beginning of my sophomore year this year, I was lucky enough to serve as a trip leader in Dartmouth College’s First Year Trips pre-orientation program. Trip leaders are upperclassmen who volunteer to lead groups of freshmen on a five-day wilderness trip before school starts and then serve as mentors to their… Read more »
The monthly Ben Franklin Circle which meets at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco takes a different angle on virtuous self-improvement and its value for society. We do not directly discuss how to inculcate a particular Franklin virtue in our personal lives, nor do we relate tales of success or failure at being virtuous…. Read more »
Big news in the land of the Ben Franklin Circles! Last week, the Wall Street Journal ran an article detailing our efforts to get Circles launched around the country. The Circles are modeled after Franklin’s “junto,” a “mutual improvement” club that Franklin founded and which met once a week in Philadelphia to discuss his… Read more »
By the end of winter term my freshman year, I was ready to be home. Though the last 10 weeks at Dartmouth had been some of the best of my life, I was more than ready to catch up with my family and friends back in Connecticut. All signs pointed to leaving as soon… Read more »
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by how much time you spend with technology? As our lives become ever more connected, there are so few places we can go to truly be alone anymore. Take airplanes. Airplanes were once disconnected sanctuaries where you had nothing to do except read, daydream, or doze off—“a retreat in… Read more »