Ben Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was indeed a master of his image. Image is more than putting on an act to fool people. It is about having a subtle understanding of the world around oneself. To control one’s appearance, one must understand the people around him. To know what people like to hear, and likewise, what will upset people, is a gift that allows one to be what everyone else wants them to be. With this ability comes power and influence. People love someone they can relate to. They will look to follow someone they agree with. Benjamin Franklin was very influential and he did this because he knew how to relate to the public and make himself into someone others wanted to listen to. He was careful to not just arbitrarily say everything he thought, but was diplomatic, and mastered the art of saying the things he knew people wanted to hear, gaining influence and power. He, himself said he used his newspaper The Almanac, as “another means of communicating instruction” (96).
Benjamin Franklin understood that having a good virtue did not mean it had to be naturally instilled, but more that “virtue was not secure till its practice became a habitude, and was free from the opposition of contrary inclinations” (96). This meant someone must practice a virtue until it comes naturally, and convince everyone else of its genuineness, for it to be a real virtue. He was also careful about what he included in his paper saying he, “carefully excluded all libelling and personal abuse, which is of late years become so disgraceful to our country” (96). But, even as he refused to put in some poeple's writing, he managed to keep those people happy by saying he would be happy to print their work and hand it out separately. He was genius at dealing with people, preserving his own image, but not upsetting the other side. To younger writers who wanted to prove rash points he mentions, “a caution to young printers, and that they may be encouraged not to pollute their presses and disgrace their profession by such infamous practices, but refuse steadily, as they may see by my example that such a course of conduct will not, on the whole, be injurious to their interests” (96). Franklin knew that although one would like to go running their mouth, in the long run one must use self control and diplomacy, for it will get you further if people like you.
When people today speak of Benjamin Franklin they often mentioned his deep interest in his reputation and character. This is because he understood that how one looks to people around them is crucial to influence. He had a gift of knowing what people wanted, and delivering it. He showed this as he filtered out of his paper, knowing what things would do more harm than good in the long run. He knew how to compromise to keep people happy. This is why he was such a successful leader and influential person; he knew how to work people. This is a gift politicians must have. It is not fake, it is getting the job done.