Dear Family & Close Friends,
The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt
the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” – George Bernard
Shaw
Lori & I saw An Unreasonable Man about Ralph Nader today at the Brookline, MA Coolidge
Corner Theatre.
I was greatly impressed by Ralph Nader when I met him in the early 70s at a talk he gave to a bunch of prep
school kids. His rigorous ethics,incredibly hard work & humor "blew my mind". This well balanced documentary
(which doesn't spare the expected criticism) only serves to confirm my admiration. As many people know, Ralph Nader &
his "Naders Raiders" helped bring about so many good mandates & things that we now take for granted: Seat Belts,
Automotive Air Bags, Disclosure Labelling on food & drugs, the Clean Air & Water Acts etc.-the observance of
which have & will continue to save so many lives.
You'd expect this man in his 70s to slow down a little & reflect on his contributions to humanity,
but he remains unsentimental & continually focussed on trying to help
improve life on the planet
for as long as he's around. It's difficult not to feel inferior to & jealous of this larger than
life & saintly man.
Maybe we should remember this the next time we're tempted to speak about him disparagingly
as the quintessential "Do Gooder".
Right on Ralph, you're a better man than I am!
I wish that I could meet you in person & shake your hand &
thank you for all the good that you've done in this world.
You're a hard man like a zen master,an inspiration &
have made the planet a better place.
John Pearson-Hart
PS
Here's a little source material on the man, the myth & the legend:
1990 Documentary: Ralph Nader Up Close
