Ben Franklin knew the value of humor and satire

Shortly before 1776, Benjamin Franklin wrote a series of newspaper letters calling for resistance from the colonial rulers. The letters, full of wit and satire, helped mobilize public opinion against British rule.

In some he used metaphors to describe complex issues, for example comparing the colonies to a child abused by an abusive parent. In others he used clever wordplay to criticize British officials without directly confronting them. Franklin’s talent for clever writing set the standard for later revolutionary writers.

Over the course of his life, Franklin published hundreds of articles and essays that shaped public opinion. As a teenager, he wrote a series of articles called “Silence Dogood,” criticizing the treatment of women, the education system, and religious hypocrisy. He enjoyed the scheme by exploiting a woman’s role and hiding it from his older brother, the newspaper’s editor.

In another anonymous essay, he gave the British “advice” on how to ruin an empire: burden the population with unnecessary taxes, ignore their petitions, and establish a standing army in a highly visible manner – among other not entirely serious suggestions.

The essay begins with a sarcastic remark: “A great empire is like a large cake, which shrinks most easily at the edges. Therefore, direct your attention to your most distant provinces, so that when you get rid of these, the next ones can follow in the right order.”

Opinion sections in newspapers, such as those used by Franklin, are an American tradition. During colonial times, newspaper editors gave local people a space to voice their opinions. After the American Revolution, this practice was enshrined in the U.S. Constitution through guarantees of freedom of speech and freedom of the press. This tradition of reasoned debate by ordinary people gave the new nation a strong sense of democracy and participation.

From Franklin’s perspective: “When opinions differ, both sides should have the advantage of being heard by the public.”

Opinion sections in newspapers are still a public forum, although their role has been somewhat diminished by blogs, social media and other user-generated content. Readership may have declined in recent decades, but newspaper readers still represent the American “middle.” Diversity of opinion has always been important to a healthy democracy because, to paraphrase Franklin, “Critics are our friends, they show us our faults.”

The Dallas Morning News has been publishing opinion pieces since its founding in 1885 and has been kind enough to publish some of my columns in recent years. The news says it likes “vividly written, fresh arguments with strong viewpoints on current issues.” I think Franklin would enjoy the challenge. He used language deliciously: “Fish and visitors stink after three days,” “No pain, no gain,” “Early to bed and early to rise makes one healthy, wealthy, and wise.” Clever wordplay is much more fun than a long lecture.

Franklin’s work also offered new perspectives. His famous 1754 cartoon “Join or Die” showed a snake chopped into pieces, each with the name of a different colony. He showed why the colonies had to unite to survive.

In 1773, he published in a London newspaper a fictitious edict from the “King of Prussia” imposing taxes on Britain similar to those imposed on the colonies. His aim was to show, in a satirical way, that it was unfair to tax people who had no representation. His style was rarely confrontational; rather, he led his readers to conclusions through careful questioning and discussion.

Throughout his long writing career, Franklin wrote about the importance of hard work, civic virtue, unity, and collective action – lessons that are more important than ever. Franklin never attended college, but he had a remarkable ability to communicate with people.

In a recent editorial in The New York TimesDavid Brooks discussed the growing gap between educated “elites” and the rest of the country. He argued that while educated people often have strong opinions, they sometimes seem disconnected from their daily work and concerns.

Brooks sums it up like this: “The fueling of the discourse serves the psychological and social self-interests of the combatants, but polarizes society by silencing many people in the middle.”

I think Franklin would have appreciated that argument. Yelling makes people feel better about their own opinions, but it doesn’t convince anyone else. The people in the middle, the reasonable people, just stop talking.

As Franklin said, “If you don’t want to be forgotten once you’re dead and rotting, either write things worth reading or do things worth writing about.”

In his biography, Walter Isaacson described Franklin as “the Founding Father who winks at us.” Franklin’s ability to communicate in a lighthearted way made him accessible and unforgettable. In an age when shouting often drowns out reason, we need more voices like Franklin’s – quiet, thoughtful, seeking unity rather than division. In doing so, we honor not only his legacy but our shared commitment to a civil society.

Send a letter or article to your local newspaper. If we disagree, so much the better. But please, for Ben’s sake, write it in a clever way.

Scott Walters is a public health professor, researcher and educator.

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