The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Red Taped

After being lost in the woods (actual and metaphorical), we have returned to the parasocial experiment that is Red Taped.

Representative democracy, separation of church and state, a system of checks and balances, and national independence form a very small sample of our forefathers’ legacy. However, the greatest gift they bestowed upon the American people is a national, common weird-uncle— Ben Franklin. When dealing with a weird-uncle, you must only call upon him when you are in desperate need. Red Taped was dying without a roar and only the faintest impression of a whimper. For better or worse, Uncle Benjamin saved us. His “feel-good juice" restored our vigor and his 13 virtues fortified our minds, bodies, and spirits. Today we explore the question: “Who has a better story than Ben Franklin, the tamer of lightning, the First American, and O.G. bad-boy MPA?”

Three of the authors we previously discussed on Red Taped – Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People; Stephen Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, and Mark Manson, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck— all reference and praise Franklin. These episodes are among our favorites, and it would be a truly virtuous act to check them out.

Did you miss us? Want us to go back to the woods? Please let us know: [e-mail] , or leave a review on iTunes.

Book: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin

Drink: Ben Franklin’s Shrub: https://www.thenest.com/content/go-back-in-time-with-these-historical-shrub-cocktails

References:

Drunk History vol 2.5: Ben Franklin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABFQ-T3uAVI

Shrubs: An Old Fashioned Drink for Modern Times by Michael Dietsch (Additional Shrub Recipes and history/ great summer drinks): https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/18430105-shrubs

The 13 Virtues (America’s first excel table?): http://www.knowledgehouse.info/Ben%20Franklin's%2013%20Virtues%20Chart.pdf

The Radicalism of the American Revolution by Gordon S. Wood: (How do you like them apples?): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6956.The_Radicalism_of_the_American_Revolution

History of Poor Richard’s Almanac: http://www.benjamin-franklin-history.org/poor-richards-almanac/

Summer Schedule:

Early July- State of the City by Scott Lazenby

Late July- The Dichotomy of Leadership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

August- How Proust Can Change Your Life by Alain de Botton

August- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

Attributes:

Opening:

Simple Gifts by the United States Army Old Guard (CC Public Domain 1.0)

Closing:

Our homage to A Walk in the Woods, the book by Bill Bryson (2010) and film (2015) starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte that inspired our own adventures on the Appalachian Trail.