The Seventeen Traditions by Ralph Nader
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Book Reviews of The Seventeen Traditions
Book Review: A paean to la famiglia
Summary: 4 Stars
The advice is "all good". I am "old school"; i.e., you raise the kids, say goodbye, then get on with life. They are always welcomed back, but ties are loosed. For Lebanese I gather these ties grow tighter with the passing years. Still, in all, a very worthwhile read...especially for those "I'm special" gen-Xers. LOL. RHBook Review: Traditions they live 4 Stars
Mr. Nader, thru his postive inside into his own life and experences was able to remind us all of our basic values and the time old traditions of us all here in the United States. Whether it was from forefathers from Europe or Asia, the basic values of family and committment were well written by Mr. Nader.Book Review: Above all, a Paean to Good Parenting
Summary: 3 Stars
Love him or hate him, there's no denying Ralph Nader is a true believer, and is committed to realizing his version of how to make the world a better (mostly safer) place. 17 Traditions is the explanation why. Principles such as Patriotism, Independent Thinking, Charity, and Civics encapsulate the lessons that contributed to Nader's tremendous work-ethic and ability to think critically, instilled in him by a solid, civic-minded upbringing in a tightly knit family. 17 Traditions is an easy read, and Nader has a pleasant narrative voice, even when channeling Whitman or Thoreau (his descriptions of his childhood environment get a little too flowery in spots).
Nader was taught at an early age to respect his elders, to challenge authority when appropriate, and not to take tangible and intangible gifts for granted. In his words, he "had a lucky choice of parents," for whom his affection and love shines through on every page. Nader touts the virtues of a healthy family life, and recognizes that strong, dedicated parenting can solve an awful lot of society's ills, including overdependence on the government. I couldn't agree more. Some of the concepts are outdated, to be sure, and I wish Nader had suggested how to apply Happy Days-era mores and behaviors to today's society; nothing wrong with aspiring to traditional values, though. A brave stance from a progressive guy.
As convincing as he was while generally bemoaning the outsourcing of family services to the market, however, I was less sold on some of the specific lessons imparted to him by his parents. I found at times that Nader's reverence for his folks clouded his ability to critically parse their good advice from the bad.
Nader's mom came off as a killjoy for seizing every event in her kids' childhood as an opportunity for instruction; 17 Traditions is at its most preachy when recounting her tutoring. And while Nader's dad seemed like a smart man and model citizen, he had some cockamamie ideas that weren't necessarily worth recounting, like setting up a "retirement island" for former dictators, to force them out of power and into (an idyllic, cushy) exile; and advocating a national economy premised upon unlimited income but limited wealth (he favored levying exorbitant taxes on personal savings above one million, thinking that it would encourage charitable giving instead of massive accumulation). Lastly, Nader's father, a Lebanese immigrant, gently complains throughout the book about the United States, supposedly out of love (he claimed he spent his time trying to improve his country, and "worked hard to make it more lovable"). I found that odd, and thought that true love, for country or other, is evidenced by satisfaction with the status quo. Try telling your spouse the reason he should lose 20 pounds is because you love him so much.
I most agreed with Nader's traditions of Simple Enjoyment and Scarcity (i.e., frugality), and give the man credit for practicing what he preaches. He appears to be one of simple means who maintains a thrifty lifestyle and shuns wanton consumerism, enabling him to realize value in the simple things and to give charitably to others. Egregious consumerism and the corporations that contribute to the "gimme society" are the bases for a lot of the litigation Nader has engendered (especially in the field of product liability), which in my opinion was initially well-intentioned but has spiraled out of control. An overly litigious society is every bit as pernicious as a hyper-consumptive one.
Book Review: The seventeen traditions
Summary: 2 Stars
For the money, it was not much of a book. For the talent accepted for the author, it was not much of a book. Simple platitudes which are mostly captured in the first chapter, and the rest of the book just re-hashes that theme: My parents were great, I am great, why don't you do likewise! Of course it is too late to change parents, but it does give some good foundation thinking for people just starting out to raise a family, and who are looking for some parenting skills.