Benjamin Franklin
Citation Needed
Citation Needed Media
4.8 • 2.8K Ratings
🗓️ 2 March 2022
⏱️ 35 minutes
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Summary
Benjamin Franklin FRS FRSA FRSE (January 17, 1706 [O.S. January 6, 1706][Note 1] – April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and political philosopher.[1] Among the leading intellectuals of his time, Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, a drafter and signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, and the first United States postmaster general. As a scientist, he was a major figure in the American Enlightenment and the history of physics for his studies of electricity. As an inventor, he is known for the lightning rod, bifocals, and the Franklin stove, among others.[2] He founded many civic organizations, including the Library Company, Philadelphia's first fire department,[3] and the University of Pennsylvania.[4] Franklin earned the title of "The First American" for his early and indefatigable campaigning for colonial unity, and as an author and spokesman in London for several colonies. As the first United States ambassador to France, he exemplified the emerging American nation.[5] Franklin was foundational in defining the American ethos as a marriage of the practical values of thrift, hard work, education, community spirit, self-governing institutions, and opposition to authoritarianism both political and religious, with the scientific and tolerant values of the Enlightenment. In the words of historian Henry Steele Commager, "In Franklin could be merged the virtues of Puritanism without its defects, the illumination of the Enlightenment without its heat."[6] Franklin has been called "the most accomplished American of his age and the most influential in inventing the type of society America would become." He also holds the distinction of the longest opening Wikipedia paragraph of any subject we've ever covered.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | And so I explained I don't need to meet your family because we're not that serious at this point and how does she react to that? |
| 0:08.2 | Okay, do you guys want to hear how I got stabbed or not? Let me just get to it. Oh, yeah, I definitely want to hear it. Yeah |
| 0:15.0 | Oh Ben there they are |
| 0:17.0 | Oh great thing with gentlemen. What whoa |
| 0:20.6 | Benjamin Franklin |
| 0:22.4 | Yeah, yeah, you like let me use the time machine Cecil you you're having ice cream with him on thirst not cool, man |
| 0:28.5 | That's not come on |
| 0:30.7 | Think about all the things that Ben can teach us. He's the perfect guest for this week's episode about him |
| 0:36.4 | Can you be nice cream indeed I am and of course we shan't do anything. Well this one is present |
| 0:43.3 | What me why not me what he's talking about |
| 0:46.8 | I mean he's |
| 0:48.8 | Clearly an Irishman look at the air in the box. Oh |
| 0:53.7 | Right, yeah, I forgot |
| 0:55.7 | You're pretty racist also this one with the beard seems like you may have a touch of the octa-rune in him |
| 1:02.6 | Have you tested his purity and should you say okay? I you know what Ben |
| 1:07.7 | Why don't we just do something fun huh we could podcast in a bit. How's that? |
| 1:12.0 | Okay tell me where is the nearest brothel? I'm feeling someone older tonight perhaps a 15 year old |
| 1:18.6 | Wow, you know, I'm gonna just set it back in the machine. That seems like a good idea. Yeah, just get rid of them and I'm Italian |
| 1:24.6 | Literally, you know my god, he admits it. Okay, put the time machine back. Why do we have this? |
| 1:30.4 | I |
| 1:51.8 | Hello and welcome to citation needed the podcast where we choose a subject we do single article about an amicapedia and |
| 1:58.0 | Pretend where experts because this is the internet and that's how works now. I'm he I'll be hosting this very special episode |
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