Masonic Principles to Consider: Bro. John Perry Barlow
/Bro. John Perry Barlow (1947-2018) was from Pinedale (Cora), Wyoming. He grew-up on a 22,000 acre cattle ranch. What made him famous? In his early years, besides ranching, he was a song writer for the Grateful Dead and he was the co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit organization that advocates for civil liberties in the digital age. He was a member of Franklin Lodge #31 in Pinedale, WY.
In his 30s he came up with a set of principles of adult behavior that were Masonically inspired. Any of these 25 principles would be good new years resolutions for any Mason to work on in 2023.
Bro. John Perry Barlow’s 25 Principles of Adult Behavior:
1. Be patient. No matter what.
2. Don’t badmouth: Assign responsibility, not blame. Say nothing of another you wouldn’t say to him.
3. Never assume the motives of others are, to them, less noble than yours are to you.
4. Expand your sense of the possible.
5. Don’t trouble yourself with matters you truly cannot change.
6. Expect no more of anyone than you can deliver yourself.
7. Tolerate ambiguity.
8. Laugh at yourself frequently.
9. Concern yourself with what is right rather than who is right.
10. Never forget that, no matter how certain, you might be wrong.
11. Give up blood sports.
12. Remember that your life belongs to others as well. Don’t risk it frivolously.
13. Never lie to anyone for any reason. (Lies of omission are sometimes exempt.)
14. Learn the needs of those around you and respect them.
15. Avoid the pursuit of happiness. Seek to define your mission and pursue that. The right to be transformative.
16. Reduce your use of the first personal pronoun.
17. Praise at least as often as you disparage.
18. Admit your errors freely and soon.
19. Become less suspicious of joy.
20. Understand humility.
21. Remember that love forgives everything.
22. Foster dignity.
23. Live memorably.
24. Love yourself.
25. Endure.
