Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin\'s Autobiography

Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin's autobiography is widely considered to be one of the most important early examples of American literature, because his recollections not only offer important insights into the historical and social context of their writing, but also because Franklin himself attempted to imbue his autobiography with a distinct authorial voice and a number of important themes. Paramount among these is the theme of self-improvement, and at every stage in his narration Franklin attempts to demonstrate his own process of self-improvement so that it might serve "as a model for countless generations to admire."

However, when considering Franklin's reported attempts at self-improvement in the context of his own political, professional, and personal ideology, it is difficult to determine whether Franklin's instructions for self-improvement were born out of a genuine desire to help others, or were simply an attempt at self-promotion. By investigating Franklin's stated reasons for writing his autobiography alongside the overall trajectory of his life, it becomes clear that Franklin's focus on self-improvement was born out of a complex combination of societal concern and self-interest that motivated every major decision in his life.

Franklin's autobiography is not solely the product of a genuinely benevolent man desirous of helping others, but rather a self-serving text that nevertheless contains important contributions to society. In other words, while Franklin was clearly operating from a position of self-interest, part of that self-interest included the betterment of society, because Franklin recognized that his own success had come not solely from his own motivation, but rather from the combination of selfish and selfless acts that characterized the development and founding of the United States itself. The evidence of this actually comes in the first paragraph, when he explain his motivations for writing the first portion of his autobiography, which he addressed to his son William. Aside from satisfying what he imagines to be his son's curiosity concerning his father's earlier exploits, Franklin explains that his motivation for writing his memoirs stems from:

Having emerged from poverty and obscurity in which I was born and bred, to a state of affluence and some degree of reputation in the world, and having gone so far through life with a considerable degree of felicity, the conducing means I made use of, which with the blessing of God so well succeeded, my posterity may like to know, as they may find some of them suitable to their own situations, and therefore fit to be imitated.

Firstly, Franklin recognizes that his own life represents something of a special case, because although he reached his ultimately well-regarded position through concerted effort, the kind of upward social mobility he experienced was not necessarily the norm in pre- and post-Revolution America. However, he also recognizes that although he was particularly blessed, his life story represented the promise of America that was first recognized by the colonists aboard the Mayflower, who saw the newly discovered land as a place where individuals might succeed regardless of prior experience or status.

Thus, almost immediately Franklin reveals that his motivation for writing his autobiography is simultaneously altruistic and selfish, because at once he is both recognizing the promise offered by America (made possible by sacrifice of those who came before) and offering a kind of "a celebrity endorsement […] the efficacy [of which] derives from his personal authority."

The mention of God in this paragraph is particularly important, because it links the trajectory of Franklin's own life to the Protestant work ethic so valued by the original colonists aboard the Mayflower. The passengers of the Mayflower fled England due to religious persecution, and a central component of their faith was a strong work ethic that viewed labor as a personal and public duty, which similarly brought personal and public gain. In the same way, Franklin implies that it is his duty to relate the means by which he achieved his privileged position, because he views his success not as the direct result of his own skill or character, but rather as a result of the kind of blessing granted as a result of hard work.

Understanding this allows one to see why it is so difficult to argue one way or the other regarding the altruism of Franklin's motivations, because even if Franklin is entirely self-interested, his self-interest takes the form of social concern and altruistic work. For example, when Franklin invented the kind of stove that would later be known simply as the Franklin stove, he denied the offer of a patent for his work because of:

A principle which has weighed with me on such occasions, viz., That, as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve other by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously.

However, for how selfless this seems, the fact remains that Franklin first published the specifications and design for his stove in a pamphlet that gained him greater fame, to the point that the patent was offered by the governor of Pennsylvania himself, and, as mentioned above, the stove became known as the Franklin stove.

Determining whether or not Franklin's actions in this instance are selfless or selfish depends upon the relative worth of increased fame and social esteem compared to potential profits of the patent, and thus one is forced to accept that Franklin's actions in this case, as in nearly every other aspect of his life (including the writing of his autobiography), were motivated by a combination of social concern and self-interest. This is further evidenced by the realization that his maxim that individuals have a duty to serve others through their inventions is a continuation of the Protestant dedication to public and private work, wherein one finds personal success by contributing to the success of the public as a whole. In the end, whether Franklin denied the patent because he knew it would make him look good or this was simply the happy result of his altruism is irrelevant, because the end result is the same, and this actually seems to be the core of Franklin's position; whether one is motivated by self-interest or altruistic concern, work in the service of others will inevitably end up benefitting everyone involved.