The Nader psychology

In The Fountainhead, a film based on a novel by Ayn Rand, Howard Roark, the architect and lead character, refuses to disfigure his architectural design at the behest of his prospective clients, who mistakenly believe that it is Roark’s job to serve them. “I don’t build in order to have clients,” declares Roark. “I have clients in order to build.”

This is decidedly not the view promoted by most intellectuals today. Intellectuals do not regard the artist as a heroic, confident, rational, independent, and self-reliant being. To them, the artist is not a capitalistic free agent–not a free trader who voluntarily exchanges value for value in a free market. Instead, they see the artist as a kind of prostitute, subject to capitalistic exploitation and abuse–as someone who must demean himself in order to practice his art.

Beyond the realm of art, to the perverse mind, there is something intrinsically vulgar about selling a product or service in a free and wide open market. To these demented and deranged folks–the Ralph Nader supporters–engaging in free trade means that you are somehow selling your soul or changing money in the temple. Such people cannot reconcile money with morality. For them money is indeed “the root of all evil.”

Part of this lunatic psychology lies in simple human jealousy and envy. The anti-capitalists resent those who are successful.

Even if the success is merit-based–i.e., produced through intelligence, discipline and hard work–our Nader-supporting friends and their leftist ilk chose to believe otherwise. To these sick people, if you are rich, then you must be some kind of a crook, because only immoral people get wealthy.

Apparently, this is the left’s way of consoling themselves for either their own lack of success or for their guilt at having succeeded: They draw a false virtue-profit dichotomy.

Although CNMI residents cannot vote to elect a U.S. president, the Ralph Nader psychology (psychosis, really) still afflicts many of our own people. It is evident, for example, in the resentment some people hold toward a certain prominent businessman–a businessman who has been nothing but a boon to the CNMI in terms of job creation, government revenue generation, investment, and community contributions. Yet, incredibly and irrationally enough, he is despised in some circles–resented for being a success.

This type of demented Nader psychology has no place in the CNMI or any place else. It is a destructive force that, should it ever take root, threatens the prosperity and happiness of us all.

Let’s get one thing straight: There is nothing inherently wrong with making money. Success and wealth-creation are good and desirable. People have a right to be rewarded for their time and effort, according to the value they create for others, who trade voluntarily. This is a form of justice.
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Strictly a personal view. Charles Reyes Jr. is a regular columnist of Saipan Tribune. Mr. Reyes may be reached at charlesraves@hotmail.com