Volume 3 - Democratic Leader
I spent the first 21 years of my life preparing for my life as an independent businessman. I spent the following 21 years becoming a powerhouse in Philly and the surrounding colonies. I had done such an amazing job financially that I retired at the age of 42 with enough money to live my current lifestyle and doing whatever the hell I wanted to with my time.
Some might fall into a trap of complacency and wither away. Not me. I did not know how to chill the fuck out. I spent my time during my business years, writing everything down that distracted me. I completed a couple successful projects including the Pennsylvania Stove which was a superior oven. But now I could focus all of my energy into my interests.
Because I’m a Philosopher. In The Philosopher I explain the “Allegory of the Cave” as told in Plato’s Republic. Through using the voice of Socrates, Plato illustrates the ignorance of humanity. We are chained in a cave in complete darkness with the exception of a fire roaring behind us. We spend all our time looking at the firelight on the walls assuming its reality. The shadowy figures we see are essentially puppets in front of the fire, but we think we are watching the real world. Philosophers are those who realize that what they are witnessing on the wall is not the true reality. They turn around, break the chain and begin crawling towards the light at the end of the cave. Seeing that “true light” is the goal of every Philosopher. It is the goal for the second half of my life to try and attain that true Enlightenment.
In The Doctor, I explain my hyperactivity towards anything that interests me. Some would say I have a problem with maintaining attention on anything, but I am proud of my consistent curiosity in EVERYTHING. The first venture I spend my retirement on is my interest in electrical experiments. When I began my interest, I looked at the various electrical demonstrations that were around. “Electricians” would generate sparks for the masses, but could not explain why anything was happening. They were interested in generating reactions, not discoveries. So I began to study these experiments and do my own. I was able to develop enough understanding that I developed scientific terminology for electricity. I turned this curiosity into a science. But I did not stop there, I proved that lightning was nothing more than an electric shock which challenged the authority of religious teachings. If that was not enough of a game-changer, I invented a lightning rod which would protect houses from lightning strikes. Because of these inventions and discoveries, I became the most famous American in the world!
Now that I am world-famous, I come back to Philadelphia and utilize my personality to do good in society, as I explain in The Leader. I always vibed with the Quaker philosophy of using your wealth and influence to make your community better. Now that I was wealthy and world-famous, I used my considerable influence to establish institutions that made Philly better. I created the first public hospital, the first public library, the first non-denomination university, amongst other things. I’ve become the most important leader in Philadelphia. So now I decide to immerse myself in the politics of the time-period.
I enter politics at a tense moment. In Join or Die, I have to protect Pennsylvania from French and Algonquin tribes who are attacking our people on the frontier. The problem is the Penn family and the Quakers do not want to raise money to defend the colonists. So I write an essay arguing for the need of a trained militia. The essay sparks a huge outpouring of support and I am able to raise an army of 10,000 men and call it “The Association”. Now despite the fact that Pennsylvania is united, the rest of the colonies are unwilling to send troops to help us. So I design a rattlesnake political cartoon alluding to the need for all of the colonies to join together or die separately.
After the French and Indian War passes, I get sent to London by PA representatives in order to wrestle control out of the hands of the authoritative Penn family and into the hands of the king. However, the Stamp Act passes and I did not realize how angry that made local Philadelphians. I got word that there was a stand-off at my house between my wife and a mob trying to burn my house down. At that point, I realized I was way behind where the colonists were on this issue. So I fought for the colonists in the Parliament, warning the British that they were pushing us closer to the rebellion. After the British withdrew, I was once again celebrated by the colonists and became the official Representative for the majority of the colonies.
Throughout these years, I have elevated my status to a level that I could have only dreamed. I crushed the business sector. I put my name in history books within the realm of science. Now I am a political force for the colonies within the British Empire. But all was not well. In a letter I received from my daughter, I learned about the death of my wife, Deb, back in Philly. In Red Deb Redemption, her spirit floods into my conscience. And it turns out she completely resents me. She claims I put my own interests ahead of hers and that I never did enough to show her that I love her. This is, unfortunately, an accurate description of our relationship and it is not something that I can hide. I have to live the rest of my life knowing that I sacrificed the happiness of my wife to achieve my own personal greatness. Let this be a lesson to all of you who seek greatness: Never forget those closest to you who make significant sacrifices so that you can achieve your dreams.
This attack of conscience in the wake of Deb’s death killed my momentum. I needed it now, in 1774, more than ever as I had the undesirable position of straddling two sides that were pulling apart. In American State of Mind, I’m trying to defend the American colonies from the British even as I watch Boston do annoying things that make my job even more difficult! The Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party are two events that galvanize Boston but are not diplomatically smart, in my opinion. Regardless, the British decide to crack down on Boston and their oppressive policies turn those in the colonies who would otherwise be sympathetic to the British. Then they decide to make me the scapegoat of all of the issues with the British and they torch my good name. Because of the poor British response, they have pushed me to the American colonists’ side and I leave Great Britain. In the process, I disown my son who stayed loyal to the British.