Students and other members of the community filled the Student Activities Center auditorium at Stony Brook University Tuesday night for an appearance by four-time presidential candidate Ralph Nader, who delivered a presentation on current political party struggles, global problems and instabilities, and what the future may hold for citizens of America and other nations.

“Basically what I want to do is combat what is a shortened attention span by your generation,” Nader told students. “I know you’re not getting the spectrum of reality in your curriculum as necessary for you to assume the leadership and the reshaping of our country and what we can do with others for the rest of the world.”

Nader focused on the harsh circumstances and poor standards of living that hundreds of millions of impoverished people are facing worldwide, and how the general public largely ignores these details.

He quoted from Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and William Blake in order to deepen the meaning of what it means for students to succeed in their lives following graduation.

“Concentration, curiosity and imagination go a long way,” said Nader, hinting towards the three quotes he previously cited. “You could think you’re educated, you can get a lot of degrees, but without having concentration, curiosity and imagination such as the nature of formal education and the system of rewards.”

As the evening progressed Nader shifted focus to the class struggle America is facing. He said the economy and worker productivity have doubled since 1968, but that the top 5 percent of Americans are the ones reaping the gains while the financial wealth of the top 1 percent is equal to the combined wealth of the lower 95 percent of the American people.

“Here I’m reminded of how deteriorated your work future is going to be,” he said.

Taking a break from his speech, Nader selected a song by the late John Lennon called “Working Class Hero” to play for the audience. The song deals with the clash between the rich and poor and how people are told what to believe by those in power.

“This is a song where he [Lennon] wants you to be a working class hero,” said Nader. “He doesn’t quite tell you why…but he tells you what he thinks is happening to you at a young age. Listen very carefully to the lyrics.”

Ben Schnekenberg, a 21-year-old Stony Brook University student studying biochemistry and sociology, found himself agreeing with much of what Nader was saying during the presentation.

“We need to wake the heck up, it’s time to get out there and advocate,” said Schnekenberg. “It starts at the local level, going to town hall meetings and feeling that you can do something. That’s the essence of the progressive movement.”

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