Many self-improvement articles and advice feel empty. There's a good reason why. The site offers a lot of routines and habits, but does not give a compelling reason for doing so.
The advice given by the Founding Fathers on self-improvement is especially compelling. Although they were imperfect, the Founding Fathers had a very clear reason for wanting to improve themselves. The Founders believed that happiness was a pursuit, and they associated it with excellence and virtue. It wasn't just about feeling good but also being good. The Founders sought happiness, not just for its personal benefits of tranquility and satisfaction but also for how it would benefit society. They believed that political autonomy required personal autonomy.
Jeffrey Rosen, a law professor, president of the National Constitution Center and author of The Pursuit of Happiness shares today on the show the book that the Founders read and which influenced their view of happiness, as virtue and self mastery. We discuss the Founders' routines and schedules, their self-examination techniques to improve their character and how they worked to correct their flaws. They believed that moral perfection, although impossible, was something worth striving towards.
Podcast Resources
AoM's series of articles on Benjamin Franklin’s 13 VirtuesBen Franklin Virtues journal available at the AoM StoreAoM article: Thomas Jefferson’s 10 Rules of LifeAoM article: Thomas Jefferson’s Recommended ReadingAoM article: John Adams's Best QuotesAoM: George Washington’s Rules of Civility in Conversation and CompanyAoM: George Washington’s Rules of Civility in Conversation and CompanyAoM: George Washington’s Rules of Civility in CompanyConnect with Jeffrey Rosen
The National Constitution Center's We the People podcast. Jeffrey's faculty page.
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