thirteen virtues

In high school English class, our teacher had us list Benjamin Franklin's 13 virtues in the order we personally found most important. We then split the room into 13 areas and as our teacher counted down 13 to 1, we walked to the virtues corresponding to that number on our list. I think Jen mentioned these on her blog awhile back, and for whatever reason I thought of them again today. I don't remember distinctly what my order was back in high school, but can't imagine it's much different.

1. Justice
wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
2. Humility
imitate Jesus and Socrates.
3. Sincerity
use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly; if you speak, speak accordingly.
4. Resolution
resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. Frugality
make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; waste nothing.
6. Tranquility
be not disturbed at trifles, or at incidents common or unavoidable.
7. Order
let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
8. Moderation
avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
9. Industry
lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
10. Silence
speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
11. Chastity
rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
12. Temperance
eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
13. Cleanliness
tolerate no cleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.

Groups of values are easier than the ones among them; I can easily choose the top five, the bottom few, all that should go in the middle but between those it's difficult to sort out, though the top two are clearly the top two for me. Number 3, 4 and 5 seem equally important to me and that order changes in my head from moment to moment such that it drove me crazy just to get that order and I give up. Those top five are hardest for me to accomplish, along with a couple of the mid-bottom, like silence. There are several qualifications of these values that caused shifts in their order ("cut off all unnecessary actions"--does the necessary unnecessary count? "trifling conversation"--does necessary trifling count?...these things are part of happiness, silliness, wholeness). Also, cleanliness as #13 doesn't mean I endorse mess, but rather than cleanliness I think "order" is more...necessary. I agree with the latter part of chastity (and personally or for modernity, could replace "health or offspring" with "love or connection") but the meat of it is about injury, and isn't that justice. Temperance seems to be solely related to food and drink, and moderation everything else, so that is low. If I had to make it up on my own, it'd be a little different. But these are important.

Come to think of it, not too good at most of these. Reminder.