More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 22 271-280 (Of Refining upon Other Men’s Actions or Interests)

 More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 22 271-280 (Of Refining upon Other Men’s Actions or Interests)

Bonus: 

Not a good game.

Summary: Don't be so judgey.

Commentary: 

271. This seems to be the Master-Piece of our Politicians; But no Body shoots more at Random, than those Refiners.

The Refiners have a high fire rate, but poor aim.

274. If an able Man refines upon the Proceedings of an ordinary Capacity, according to his own, he must ever miss it: But much more the ordinary Man, when he shall pretend to speculate the Motives to the able Man’s Actions: For the Able Man deceives himself by making t’other wiser than he is in the Reason of his Conduct; and the ordinary Man makes himself so, in presuming to judge of the Reasons of the Abler Man’s Actions.

This is the William Penn version of the Dunning Kruger effect.

 

 

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 21 254-270 (The Conformist)

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 21 254-270 (The Conformist)

Bonus: 

Subs and dubs are not created equal.

Summary: If you've been blessed with a good life, you should use it to help other people.

Commentary:

255. For tho’ he has made of One Blood all Nations, he has not rang’d or dignified them upon the Level, but in a sort of Subordination and Dependency. 

All men are not created equal! 

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 20 249-253 (The Conformist)

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 20 249-253 (The Conformist)

Bonus: 

That's some banger cover art.

Summary: It is okay to conform if it's A. Necessary and B. Not against your Conscience.

Commentary:

253. And yet the Latitudinarian that I love, is one that is only so in Charity; for the Freedom I recommend is no Scepticism in Judgment, and much less so in Practice.

Latitudinarian is a lot of word.

 

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 19 236-248 (The Vain Man)

 More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 19 236-248 (The Vain Man)

Bonus: 

 

This is the exact opposite of how I thought they worked. Learning!

Summary: This one was kinda similar to jealousy.

Commentary: 

248. May we have more of them, or less Need of them.

Benediction worthy. 

 

 

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 18 221-235 (Of the Interest of the Publick in our Estates)

 More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 18 221-235 (Of the Interest of the Publick in our Estates)

Bonus: 

Ironically, came up right before I read tonight.

Summary: We should make people give their excess wealth to bettering society.

Commentary:

234. Have we no Room for them in our Plantations, about Things that may augment Trade, without Luxury?

The 18th century version of, "how will the billionaires buy their 7th yacht?"

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 17 213-220 (Of an Immediate Pursuit of the World)

 More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 17 213-220 (Of an Immediate Pursuit of the World)

Bonus: 

Pay for your robot insurance, wealthy elders!

Summary: Stop being greedy.

Commentary: 

213. It shews a Depraved State of Mind, to Cark and Care for that which one does not need. 

cark
1 of 2
verb
ˈkärk
-ed/-ing/-s

transitive verb
: to burden with care or anxiety : vex, worry, trouble  

 216. But it is strange, that Old Men should excel: For generally Money lies nearest them that are nearest their Graves; As if they would augment their Love in Proportion to the little Time they have left to enjoy it: And yet their Pleasure is without Enjoyment, since none enjoy what they do not use.

It seems to me that (today) most elderly people are either relatively wealthy, or dirt poor. Is there such a thing as "middle class elderly"?  

219. Such are they as spend not one Fifth of their Income, and, it may be, give not one Tenth of what they spend to the Needy. 

220. This is the worst Sort of Idolatry, because there can be no Religion in it, nor Ignorance pleaded in Excuse of it; and that it wrongs other Folks that ought to have a Share therein.

I think framing it as "what percent of your money can/do you actually spend?" is effective at pointing out how absurdly rich someone can become. If you can't spend (most of) it, you should give (some of) it away.

 

 

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 16 205-212 (Of a Good Servant)

More Fruits of Solitude by William Penn (1718) Part 16 205-212 (Of a Good Servant)

Bonus: 

RIP Dolly

Summary: William Penn really wants you to work hard for your Master.

Commentary: The Master isn't even God here!