As a young man, Benjamin Franklin rejoiced in debating with others. Well-honed in the skill, he took great pride in his victories. Even when he was technically wrong, he was always rhetorically correct. As he matured, he realized those triumphs came at the cost of alienation and animosity.
Reflecting on his prideful whims, Franklin wrote in his autobiography, “I determined, endeavoring to cure myself, if I could, of this vice or folly.” His breakthrough came through following a simple maxim: “Imitate Jesus and Socrates.”
