Ken Burns’ new 2-part film about Ben Franklin is excellent. Burns does a deep dive into Frankl
Ken Burns’ new 2-part film about Ben Franklin is excellent. Burns does a deep dive into Franklin’s thoughts, words and deeds to reveal a man who was both great and deeply flawed at the same time. Franklin was uneducated yet became one of the most eloquent writers, philosophers, inventors and statesmen of his time. The man who crafted the pivotal sentence “we hold these truths to be self evident…that all men are created equal….” was also an unapologetic slave owner. The man who greatly influenced the words and ideas that are the building blocks of our democracy was in fact a loyal monarchist until the earliest battles of the revolutionary war. The man who encouraged and inspired countless men and women to reach their own potential was simultaneously a wretched husband and father. He was a bundle of contradictions wrapped up in an enigma. He was deeply human. Like us, he was both good and bad. A self described “work in progress” who gave himself the grace to change his mind; which he did frequently, without fuss or self flagellation. While watching the film I couldn’t help wonder what our modern “cancel culture” might wish to do with Franklin’s legacy. We urgently need more historical narratives like this. A society whose masses have largely abandoned mythology, scripture, literature, history and civics in its daily curriculum - both in classrooms and in real life - is doomed. We are all better than our worst mistakes, worse than our greatest accomplishments. We need to forgive ourselves and our neighbors for being human, and grant ourselves the grace and willingness to change. To admit, and demonstrate we are works in progress. #kenburns #benjaminfranklin https://www.instagram.com/p/CcIQ_8Hupfu/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI= -- source link
#kenburns#benjaminfranklin