What is moderation according to Franklin?

Franklin defined moderation as: 'Avoid extremes. Forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.' It's about finding the balanced middle path and controlling emotional reactions to wrongs.

What is Aristotle's Golden Mean?

Aristotle taught that virtue lies in the 'mean' between two extremes—excess and deficiency. Courage is the mean between cowardice and recklessness; generosity between miserliness and profligacy.

How is moderation different from temperance?

Temperance (Franklin's first virtue) focuses specifically on physical appetites—food and drink. Moderation is broader: it applies to all behaviors and especially to emotional reactions, particularly anger at injuries.

How do I stay calm when wronged?

Franklin's advice: resent injuries less than you think they deserve. Recognize that your emotional reaction often exceeds what's warranted. Pause before reacting. Consider the fuller picture. Respond proportionally.

Why is moderation important in modern life?

Modern media amplifies extreme positions. Outrage drives engagement. Moderation provides balance: the ability to hold nuanced views, respond proportionally to provocations, and avoid the exhaustion of constant emotional extremes.

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The Virtues

What Is Moderation? Franklin's Ninth Virtue on Balance

Avoid extremes. Forbear resenting injuries. Learn what Aristotle's Golden Mean and Buddha's Middle Way teach about balance.

9 min read

•

January 26, 2026

In an era of hot takes and maximum outrage, Benjamin Franklin's ninth virtue feels almost subversive: Moderation. Avoid extremes. Don't overreact—even when you're justified.

Franklin echoes ancient wisdom from Aristotle's Golden Mean to the Buddha's Middle Way, applying it to daily emotional life.

Key Takeaways

Franklin defined moderation as: "Avoid extremes. Forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve."
Moderation applies especially to emotional reactions, particularly anger
Aristotle's Golden Mean, Buddha's Middle Way, and Stoic equanimity all emphasize moderation
Franklin counsels reacting less than injuries deserve—proportional, not passionate

What Did Benjamin Franklin Say About Moderation?

"Avoid extremes. Forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve."
— Benjamin Franklin

Two instructions: First, avoid extremes in general. Second—and more specifically—don't resent wrongs as much as you think you should. Your sense of justified anger is probably too high.

The Ancient Wisdom on Moderation

Aristotle: The Golden Mean

Aristotle's entire ethics centers on finding the mesotes (mean) between extremes:

"Virtue is a mean between two vices, one of excess and one of deficiency."
— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics

Buddha: The Middle Way

The Buddha taught Majjhimā Paṭipadā—the path between extreme asceticism and indulgence. After years of extreme fasting, he discovered enlightenment required balance.

Horace: Nothing in Excess

"Nothing in excess." (Ne quid nimis)
— Horace

Epictetus: Moderate Your Reactions

The Stoics emphasized moderating not circumstances but reactions. We can't control events; we can control how extremely we respond.

Practice Franklin's System Today

Track your virtues with the same method Franklin used—now in a beautiful iOS app with morning reflections and evening reviews.

Get the App

What Makes Franklin's Approach Different?

Emotional Moderation

Franklin focuses on resentment—our reaction to being wronged. He doesn't say injuries don't deserve resentment. He says we should resent them less than we think warranted.

Built-In Humility

The phrase "so much as you think they deserve" implies our judgment of what's deserved is often inflated. We overestimate offense taken and underestimate our own contributions to conflict.

Moderation in the Modern World

The Outrage Economy

Social media rewards extreme reactions. The most outraged posts get shared. Moderation—nuanced, proportional, calm—doesn't trend. But it leads to better decisions and peace of mind.