Topics: Learning & Education Rhetoric Leadership Relationships People dimension Personal Business Philosophy
Junto’s are groups of friends who meet to pursue mutual self-betterment — the original Spanish translation meant ‘joined together’1. Benjamin Franklins original Junto was a diverse group of tradesmen who discussed philosophy, shared essays, and launched community projects. Truth and mutual self-improvement were the guiding ideals2.
The artist would critique the astrologer’s pathos. The lawyer pointed out flaws in the bartender’s logos. They held each other accountable to spoken moral convictions (to ensure Actions reflect priorities). Franklin’s Junto mirrored the goals of the Renaissance Humanists — where Renaissance humanists create better humans by studying themselves, others, and the world.
A modern Junto would be full of new Renaissance Humanists, and they are engines of Self-Directed learning. There are no new ideas, but smart people resurface and refine historic wisdom for todays needs.
References
Footnotes
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Franklin on the Junto: https://crypt.obormot.net/AutobiographyOfBenjaminFranklin/Junto ↩