Hello BFC community—I’m the new host of the Science of Virtues podcast and will occasionally be contributing to the blog, so I thought I’d take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Emily Esfahani Smith and I’m a writer and editor based in Washington D.C., where I’ll soon be starting a Ben Franklin Circle…. Read more »
Honestly, I have struggled with how to write about sincerity. Plain dictionary meanings won’t do if one wants to understand (and adhere to) Ben’s virtue of sincerity. There is more at work in Ben’s desire for this virtue than just an admonition to be honest. As with the rest of his course, sincerity has… Read more »
In 1967 Paul McCartney and John Lennon wrote a song with an intentionally limited vocal range so that it could be sung by their friend and bandmate Ringo Starr. Joe Cocker loved the song, changed the arrangement to suit his unique voice and sang it to his friends at Woodstock. That version was so iconic… Read more »
Order has always vexed me. My wife makes lists and I mock her for it…and then feel both guilty and inadequate. This was the reality that confronted me as I stared into the maw of order and, yet, it excited me. Here was a chance to confront a weakness and show real improvement…. Read more »
Benjamin Franklin must be cosmically guiding the timing of this blog post. Somewhere he sits with a glass of Madeira in hand, watching as I try to provide advice on frugality during the week in which my daughter graduates from high school. There is, undoubtedly, a smile on his face. Before getting to… Read more »
On long car drives, my kids and I often engage in a friendly game called “Would you rather?” My 6-year old son uses this as an opportunity for silly fodder, including questions like: “Would you rather have toilet paper hanging out of your pants all day or step in dog poop?” I, on… Read more »