Benjamin Franklin Has Long Been Research Paper

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He once wrote to a friend, "In short, I conceive that a great part of the miseries of mankind are brought upon them by the false estimates they have made of the value of things" (Franklin & Rogers 1996).

Since Franklin had come to understood these ideas related to happiness at a very young age, he was able to live a life that was not just satisfying for him, but rather, it was satisfying to him because of how beneficial he was to others. Knowing that giving to others could not just help others but also bring great satisfaction was something that he strongly believed that all people must do. He also believed that God had intended humans to act like this in order to achieve happiness because it was how God himself achieved happiness. "I believe, he [God] is pleased and delights in the Happiness of those he has created; and since without Virtue Man can have no happiness in this World, I firmly believe he delights to see me Virtuous because he is pleased when he sees Me Happy" (Franklin & Rogers 1996).

Today, more than ever, because of the fact that we live in such a materialistic society and there is so much emphasis put on what one has (or doesn't have), Franklin's theories on happiness and the satisfaction that comes not from things but from helping others, is more important than ever. Franklin's ideas of finding happiness seem quite basic in theory, yet why is it that people are so unlucky in life when it comes to happiness? Why aren't people happier?

Franklin put humanity, friendship, generosity and benevolence above all other things in the world.

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He believed that the "only constant and durable source of happiness is in acts of humanity" (Franklin & Rogers 1996) as well as the acts that take place in meaningful friendships and the goodness that comes out of benevolent acts. Franklin was constantly communicating his beliefs through the actions that he carried out in his own life -- both professionally and personally. He had a meaningful marriage, good friendships, and he was always helping the greater good. He truly worked for the greater good of humanity, as is noted in the opening paragraph to this paper with his many inventions and the many different institutions he founded. He was a man who was constantly trying to better society and the lives of people who lived in that society. This brought him great happiness......

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