Ralph Nader, founder of modern consumerism and one of Life Magazine's most important people of the twentieth century, says he likes to think of himself as a Johnny Appleseed, "getting public interest groups started and letting them grow on their own."

An activist for more than 30 years, Nader has some advice for aspiring do-gooders. For those who do not know where to start or feel they cannot make a difference on their own, his advice is to look at history. "If we know our history, that almost all things we love about the country started with just one or two people--whether it was the abolition of slave movement, women's right to vote, the trade union movement, consumers, civil rights, environmental movements--everything starts with one or two."

If you lack the energy to start a group to slay the modern-day monsters, Ralph Nader advises join an existing one. The group you join may be one of the many Nader helped establish. This list includes more than 50 "groups," "centers," "projects," and "organizations." The full-time activist still heads the Center for Study of Responsive Law.

Nader has learned many things from his experiences including that being an activist requires a certain personality. "You have to know not to be discouraged; to be resilient when things don't work as you planned," Nader reflects. He also cautions to control moral indignation so as not to interrupt the strategic logic necessary to get things done.