Vox Nova at the Movies: An Unreasonable Man

An Unreasonable Man is a documentary about Ralph Nader. If you are like me, the first thoughts that will cross your mind upon hearing that name are notions like thoughtless, selfish, egotistical, narcissistic, megalomaniac. But we need to step back from recent electoral politics and look at the big picture. In this sense, this movie is illuminating. For nobody can deny that Ralph Nader’s contribution to the public good over the last four decades is nothing short of remarkable.

Nader is a crusader. An absorbed and obsessed workaholic who never married, and who lives frugally, not owning a car. Everybody who knows him, whether they agree with him or not, attest to his honesty and personal integrity. He is incorruptible, a man of true principle, which is why he tirelessly opposes the scourge of special interests (especially corporate interests) in the political sphere. He is notoriously stubborn. And Nader refuses to play partisan politics, sticking strictly to principle (which is why is he loathed by the Democrats).

The documentary ploughs through his major accomplishments. He became famous by taking on the automobile industry, when he accused it of refusing to install basic safety features simply on the grounds that it would open the doors to further regulation on issues like pollution. He was so successful that GM attempted to tarnish his name, at one point sending women to reduce him (Nader refused the offer!). The fact that we have seat belts, air bags, and other now-standard automobile safety features we owe to Nader. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that seat belts alone saved 135,000 lives between 1975-2000. He other accomplishments are also numerous and impressive. His activism spurred the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, and the Consumer Product Safety Administration. He fought for safe drinking water, clean air, lower levels of lead in the environment, better labeling on food, compensation for being bumped from a flight.. and a plethora of other things we now take for granted in our everyday lives.

All in all, Nader’s approach is fundamentally aligned with Catholic social teaching. His sole concern is for the common good. He believes in small businesses and locally-grown organic produce. He fights for the little guy. His lesson shows that much can be accomplished at the grass roots level, sticking to principle, and without dirtying one’s hands getting tangled up in the messy compromises of partisan politics. It’s truly tragic that Nader’s legacy will be forever dominated by the 2000 election. For what other public figure has done more good for society over a comparable time frame?