My knowledge of Ralph Nadar is very limited compared to your own very personal experience with the man, but your post is--as others have written--a moving tribute and it speaks to his decency and goodness. I enjoyed all of his quotes, but particularly ones like "We must strive to be good ancestors," and "Moral courage is the highest expression of humanity." Your questions on purpose are also well worth considering: I've just finished moving into a new home with my family--that has been one form of purpose; my son was sick so I looked after him--there was another; I'm writing with what I hope is good intention and communicates positively to you and others--my purpose in this moment ...
The longer, over-arching purpose of one's life ... is perhaps not always necessary to think about. As Mr Nadar said, "The future depends on what we do now, not what we did yesterday." One does one's best whatever the circumstances or conditions given to them--Who needs the praise and glory of the world when one has lived a decent, good and simple life? Anyway, perhaps that's just a bit of perspective for when the big things start to feel too big, because God knows they often do!
Thank you for teaching me about Ralph Nadar and his work, Jesse! All the best to everyone.
Thank you, Jesse! Mr. Nader is more than a National Treasure. The current episode (573) of the Ralph Nader Radio Hour , with an comprehesive and in-depth interview with Drop Site News founder Jeremy Scahill (available on YouTube and elsewhere) is an all-too rare deep breath of reality. It is a conversation we all need to listen to.
Thank you so much for this post Jesse! And happy belated birthday to Ralph Nader.
The first quote ("A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity.") is one that is so on point in more and more places....
I love this one the most though: "Let it not be said by a future, forlorn generation that we wasted and lost our great potential because our despair was so deep we didn't even try, or because each of us thought someone else was worrying about our problems."
Mentors are so important when we are young but then even later one it's a blessing to have someone who has a lot of wisdom and experience to talk about these things! I love that you wrote about Ralph Nader in this way also.
What you wrote about how you felt it difficult to be restrained in your work and writing by things such as limitations on areas to cover or pages/word counts and deadlines - this is something I struggled with very much also when I was studying English literature and linguistics and Comparative literature as my minor (I did not complete the degree for that reason and dropped out after two years - and a further reason is what I'm going to put next!).
I'm also someone who always has been interested in many different fields and found it extremely hard to settle on either more the arts and humanities or the sciences as a career choice (in the end I studied medicine and that has taken me quite far away from the arts and literature. I am always fascinated by people who could combine both for example doctors who were also writers or people who work in the medical humanities). Another university application was for musicology and English literature and I practiced very seriously for this (the university required everyone applying to give a small performance on an instrument of their choice) but my nerves where so bad that I broke off after making a mistake really early on in the piece. They also required one to recognise notes and chords by ear and I do have a good musical ear in the way that I learn new pieces best by hearing them and I can work out to sing or play a tune that way, but I'm not good at knowing the exact note by ear... They offered me a place with the caveat that I would have to catch up on the music theory aspect (their standards were very high and I think I had a case of youthful over enthusiasm also when I applied there, even though I could read music from playing an instrument for a long time but I was not a music theory buff!) but I was not confident enough to think I could try.
Later on I had a sort of mentor I could talk my ideas through and they encouraged me to follow what I was most enthusiastic about (I went abroad to study medicine which was a massive step not least because it was expensive and I could not afford the fees so had to take out a big loan). This mentor person was so good for me because they were listening and making me think rather than telling me their opinion of what I should do or what they thought the issues or benefits of each choice could be. I think that makes for a really great mentor!!!
I love that Sarah Lawrence told you not to think in a dualistic way/think you have to make an absolute choice (and they wrote a handwritten note about this on your offer letter!) - it's a really good thing to be told that early on and must have felt so encouraging.
This is a really inspiring post Jesse, thank you so much. I learned a lot more about Ralph Nader also (I know this should be the main point really!!) As I'm not from the US and was always more influenced by European politics and general life I did not know much about him at all before I started reaading your and your Mum's substacks. Thank you!
Jesse-- what a lovely birthtday gift for Ralph Nader. Although I am your mom's age, your writng helps me to appreciate Mr Nader a bit more than I do. I have no answers to whether college degrees are important or not for you at this age. Whatever makes you happy.
As always, thank you for the post. At 66 years of age I find myself considering the questions you pose more and more, certainly more than I did when I was 33 years old. I will continue to look for alignment to my purpose every day. I know where it is, mostly within the lyrics of songs I sing at rallies, marches and general good trouble making. It's in the faces I photograph on the streets, it's in the colors, lines and shapes that I help find their way onto canvas or paper. It's in the wind, I'm listening every day.
Keep the beat and thee. Musique. davpi3.14
My knowledge of Ralph Nadar is very limited compared to your own very personal experience with the man, but your post is--as others have written--a moving tribute and it speaks to his decency and goodness. I enjoyed all of his quotes, but particularly ones like "We must strive to be good ancestors," and "Moral courage is the highest expression of humanity." Your questions on purpose are also well worth considering: I've just finished moving into a new home with my family--that has been one form of purpose; my son was sick so I looked after him--there was another; I'm writing with what I hope is good intention and communicates positively to you and others--my purpose in this moment ...
The longer, over-arching purpose of one's life ... is perhaps not always necessary to think about. As Mr Nadar said, "The future depends on what we do now, not what we did yesterday." One does one's best whatever the circumstances or conditions given to them--Who needs the praise and glory of the world when one has lived a decent, good and simple life? Anyway, perhaps that's just a bit of perspective for when the big things start to feel too big, because God knows they often do!
Thank you for teaching me about Ralph Nadar and his work, Jesse! All the best to everyone.
Are you concerned or are you committed?
--Ralph Nader
💜💜💜
I am glad I share my birthday with Ralph Nadar.
Thank you, Jesse! Mr. Nader is more than a National Treasure. The current episode (573) of the Ralph Nader Radio Hour , with an comprehesive and in-depth interview with Drop Site News founder Jeremy Scahill (available on YouTube and elsewhere) is an all-too rare deep breath of reality. It is a conversation we all need to listen to.
Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.
Thank you so much for this post Jesse! And happy belated birthday to Ralph Nader.
The first quote ("A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity.") is one that is so on point in more and more places....
I love this one the most though: "Let it not be said by a future, forlorn generation that we wasted and lost our great potential because our despair was so deep we didn't even try, or because each of us thought someone else was worrying about our problems."
Mentors are so important when we are young but then even later one it's a blessing to have someone who has a lot of wisdom and experience to talk about these things! I love that you wrote about Ralph Nader in this way also.
What you wrote about how you felt it difficult to be restrained in your work and writing by things such as limitations on areas to cover or pages/word counts and deadlines - this is something I struggled with very much also when I was studying English literature and linguistics and Comparative literature as my minor (I did not complete the degree for that reason and dropped out after two years - and a further reason is what I'm going to put next!).
I'm also someone who always has been interested in many different fields and found it extremely hard to settle on either more the arts and humanities or the sciences as a career choice (in the end I studied medicine and that has taken me quite far away from the arts and literature. I am always fascinated by people who could combine both for example doctors who were also writers or people who work in the medical humanities). Another university application was for musicology and English literature and I practiced very seriously for this (the university required everyone applying to give a small performance on an instrument of their choice) but my nerves where so bad that I broke off after making a mistake really early on in the piece. They also required one to recognise notes and chords by ear and I do have a good musical ear in the way that I learn new pieces best by hearing them and I can work out to sing or play a tune that way, but I'm not good at knowing the exact note by ear... They offered me a place with the caveat that I would have to catch up on the music theory aspect (their standards were very high and I think I had a case of youthful over enthusiasm also when I applied there, even though I could read music from playing an instrument for a long time but I was not a music theory buff!) but I was not confident enough to think I could try.
Later on I had a sort of mentor I could talk my ideas through and they encouraged me to follow what I was most enthusiastic about (I went abroad to study medicine which was a massive step not least because it was expensive and I could not afford the fees so had to take out a big loan). This mentor person was so good for me because they were listening and making me think rather than telling me their opinion of what I should do or what they thought the issues or benefits of each choice could be. I think that makes for a really great mentor!!!
I love that Sarah Lawrence told you not to think in a dualistic way/think you have to make an absolute choice (and they wrote a handwritten note about this on your offer letter!) - it's a really good thing to be told that early on and must have felt so encouraging.
This is a really inspiring post Jesse, thank you so much. I learned a lot more about Ralph Nader also (I know this should be the main point really!!) As I'm not from the US and was always more influenced by European politics and general life I did not know much about him at all before I started reaading your and your Mum's substacks. Thank you!
Happy Birthday. It’s so refreshing to read your Capital Hill Citizen
Amazon guy, Ralph.
Blessings.
https://open.substack.com/pub/paulokirk/p/iq-110-the-trump-musk-dodge-err-doge?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=5i319
Great post! History will remember Ralph as our greatest citizen.
"Sooner or later, you're gonna listen to Ralph Nadar..." Happy birthday Ralph! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz-yW5ASAPg
Happy Birthday Ralph, My dear lifelong inspiration !
Happy birthday Ralph! The world is a better place because of you. Thank you!
Wonderful tribute to a truly great man.
Jesse-- what a lovely birthtday gift for Ralph Nader. Although I am your mom's age, your writng helps me to appreciate Mr Nader a bit more than I do. I have no answers to whether college degrees are important or not for you at this age. Whatever makes you happy.
As always, thank you for the post. At 66 years of age I find myself considering the questions you pose more and more, certainly more than I did when I was 33 years old. I will continue to look for alignment to my purpose every day. I know where it is, mostly within the lyrics of songs I sing at rallies, marches and general good trouble making. It's in the faces I photograph on the streets, it's in the colors, lines and shapes that I help find their way onto canvas or paper. It's in the wind, I'm listening every day.