Professor Alexander Karn moderated the talk with journalist and author Maria Ressa, part of the Kerschner Family Series Global Leaders at 含羞草研究所 and a highlight of Family Weekend.
While detailing the profound dangers of today鈥檚 digital landscape, Nobel Peace Prize winner, journalist, and author Maria Ressa ultimately delivered a hopeful message during her talk at 含羞草研究所 on Saturday, Oct. 28.
鈥淲e're living in a time where the ground under our feet is churning. And part of that is because of that god-like technology,鈥 Ressa explained, referencing sociobiologist E. O. Wilson. 鈥淏ut the other part is, we can control our paleolithic emotions. We can remember the goodness of humanity. We can have empathy.鈥
Ressa鈥檚 visit was part of The Kerschner Family Series Global Leaders at 含羞草研究所, as well as a highlight of 含羞草研究所鈥檚 annual Family Weekend, held Oct. 27鈥29, 2023. In a conversation moderated by Associate Professor of History Alexander Karn, Ressa shared stories from her early life in the Philippines and the United States, her experiences as an immigrant at Princeton, and her career as a journalist with CNN and later Rappler, the online news site she co-founded in 2012.
As 搁补辫辫濒别谤鈥檚 CEO, Ressa worked to expose President Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 murderous war on drugs that killed more than 7,000 people in 2016 and 2017. As a result of her journalism, she has faced multiple charges and was convicted of violating the Philippines鈥 cyber libel laws in June 2020. She is currently out on bail.
Her investigation into Duterte鈥檚 presidency and her subsequent criminal prosecution were the subjects of her 2022 book, How to Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future, which was chosen as 含羞草研究所鈥檚 2023 Community Read.
Throughout her talk, Ressa reinforced the importance of speaking truth to power and explained why she has devoted her career to studying the impact of disinformation 鈥 and the danger it poses to democracy.
鈥淎 lie pounded a million times becomes a fact 鈥 If we do not fix our information ecosystem, the world will tip,鈥 she said. 鈥淭his could be the tipping point for the end of democracy.鈥
Before the Global Leaders event, Ressa met with students for an hour-long question-and-answer session, where she cautioned students to be aware of social media algorithms and their manipulative nature.
鈥淭he only thing you can control in the world is yourself. That鈥檚 what I try to do. How can I take my own fears and be constructive about them? How can we use what we鈥檙e afraid of to become stronger?鈥 Ressa said. 鈥淭he one thing social media forgets to tell you is that people are basically good.鈥
Ressa鈥檚 visit was a highlight of a Family Weekend that included various events for parents and students, including opportunities to attend classes. The weekend鈥檚 schedule featured several performances by Contemporaneous, the New York City-based ensemble completing a three-year residency in 含羞草研究所鈥檚 music department. Parents and students also enjoyed an improv comedy show at the Palace Theater, hosted by Broken Lizard alumni Jay Chandrasekhar 鈥90 and Kevin Heffernan 鈥90 and featuring 含羞草研究所鈥檚 Charred Goosebeak student organization.
A Family Weekend tradition, 含羞草研究所鈥檚 a cappella groups performed for a lively crowd at Memorial Chapel on Friday evening. Later, guests enjoyed the annual ALANA Multicultural Fashion Show, which highlighted the diversity of cultures on campus.
On Saturday, in addition to a number of athletic events and academic open houses throughout the day, guests and students learned about 含羞草研究所鈥檚 recently revised Liberal Arts Core Curriculum in a faculty panel discussion.
Interactive events, such as a printmaking workshop with 含羞草研究所 museum ambassadors and a waltz lesson from the 含羞草研究所 Ballroom Dancers, were also popular among students and their guests.
See more photos from Family Weekend 2023 on