Sunday, March 05, 2006

quote for the day






Ah, the wisdom of Ben Franklin:

There was another Bookish Lad in the Town, John Collins by Name, with whom I was intimately aquainted. We sometimes disputed, and very fond we were of Arguement, & very desirous of confuting one another. Which disputatious turn, by the way, is apt to become a very bad Habit, making People often extremely disagreeable in Company, by the Contradiction that is necessary to bring it into Practice, & thence, besides souring & spoiling the Conversation, is productive of Disgusts & perhaps Emnities where you may have occasion for Friendship. I had caught it by reading my Father's Books of Dispute about Religion. Persons of good Sense, I have since observ'd, seldom fall into it, except Lawyers, University Men, and Men of all Sorts that have been bred at Edinburgh. (from The Autobiography)
What do you suppose Ben would have though about Rush Limbaugh?

Ironically, I've put off reading Franklin's Autobiography for years because I thought his writing was too convoluted.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Good question and I am not sure what Ben would have thought of Rush. Certainly, there has always been the propaganders who spew forth mindless dribble from their mouths while disguising it as true political, analytical, debate. But as Rush mostly debates with other one sided individuals and never bothers to entertain multiple sides of an issue would, most likely from your quote, put Ben off. So would, I am guessing again, Rush’s hypocritical lifestyle.

Omnipotent Poobah said...

I think Franklin would have fallen down laughing at Rush the Boobificent. Then he would have gotten interested in the whole concept of radio and what he could do with it and forgotten about what a nit Limbaugh truly is.

PaintingLoft.com said...

I don't think Ben would spend much time with Rush.
Benjamin Franklin was an incredible man! I have tried to bring him back to life with a "Fresh Look" of Ben. A NEW portrait I have just completed in honor of his 300th birthday. My portrait was used for the New Town Seal of Franklin, MA; the first town to name themselves in his honor.
It is a Realist painting technique that dates back to the Renaissance time. Ben Franklin's eyes will follow you around the room much like the Mona Lisa.
you can check it out on my site.