How to Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future

How to Stand up to a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future (2022) is a memoir and journalistic exposé written by Maria Ressa, a renowned Filipino-American journalist and cofounder of the news website Rappler. Ressa’s expertise stems from her decades-long career in journalism, including her work as CNN’s bureau chief in Manila and Jakarta, and her firsthand experience confronting authoritarianism in the Philippines.

The book belongs to the genre of political nonfiction and serves as both a personal memoir and a call to action. Ressa, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for her efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, explores the challenges facing democracy in the digital age. The title reflects Ressa’s direct confrontation with authoritarianism, particularly with the administration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. In her book, Ressa intertwines her personal journey as a journalist with a broader analysis of how disinformation and social media manipulation threaten democratic institutions worldwide. She provides insights into the mechanics of online propaganda and offers strategies for combating the erosion of truth in public discourse.

This study guide refers to the 2022 HarperCollins hardcover ebook edition.

Summary

The Foreword, written by international human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, portrays Ressa as a heroic journalist who has fought against an oppressive Philippine government to uphold the truth. Clooney emphasizes that Ressa’s struggle is emblematic of the challenges faced by journalists in an increasingly authoritarian world, and expresses hope that her legacy will inspire future generations to stand up for justice.

Ressa begins by recounting her childhood move from the Philippines to the United States at age 10, a transition that taught her valuable lessons about facing fears, standing up to bullies, and embracing learning opportunities. She details her education at Princeton University, where she explored various subjects and wrote a play that served as an allegory for the political turmoil in the Philippines under Ferdinand Marcos.

After college, Ressa returned to the Philippines on a Fulbright fellowship, marking the beginning of her journalism career. She shares her experiences working for PTV4 and CNN, covering major events in Southeast Asia, including the fall of Indonesian President Suharto and the growth of terrorist networks in the region. Trust, honesty, and vulnerability were of prime importance in Ressa’s personal and professional life during this period. She learned lessons about the importance of honest, fact-based reporting in the face of challenges posed by those in power. She emphasizes the crucial role of education in building strong democracies and quality journalism, and highlights the dangers of false equivalence, groupthink, and the spread of extremist ideologies through social networks. Ressa also discusses the impact of technology on journalism and the shift from traditional news media as gatekeepers, to the current landscape dominated by profit-driven technology companies. She stresses the need for journalists to remain committed to the truth and to hold power accountable, even in the face of pressure and threats.

The book then moves to Ressa's leadership of ABS-CBN, the largest news network in the Philippines, from 2005 to 2010. She focused on changing the organization’s culture, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and consistency, while facing significant challenges such as lawsuits and smear campaigns. Ressa highlights the power of the media in shaping public opinion and influencing political events.

Ressa then recounts the founding of Rappler, a news website that initially embraced social media, crowdsourcing, and data analytics to engage audiences and drive social change. However, this optimism was soon challenged by the rise of Rodrigo Duterte and the weaponization of social media platforms, particularly Facebook, to spread disinformation and attack critics.

The second half of the book addresses the challenges faced by journalism and democracy in the Philippines in the digital age. Facebook’s algorithms and business model contributed to the spread of disinformation during Rodrigo Duterte’s rise to power; his administration also weaponized social media to attack critics, including Ressa and her news organization, Rappler.

The government then put intense pressure on Rappler, including legal challenges, arrests, and attempts to revoke its operating license. Ressa personally experienced multiple arrests and legal threats, but refused to let go of her determination to defend press freedom. Despite the danger, Ressa continued to expose abuses of power and combat disinformation through Rappler’s research efforts and via involvement with the Real Facebook Oversight Board.

Ressa ends with her 2021 Nobel Peace Prize and her reflections on the 2022 Philippine elections, which saw the return to power of the Marcos family. Ressa proposes a three-pillar approach to combating disinformation and protecting democracy: leveraging technology, supporting investigative journalism, and building communities of action.

Throughout the book, Ressa underscores the global nature of threats to journalism and democracy, positioning her experiences within a larger context of worldwide challenges to press freedom and the rule of law. She concludes by encouraging critical thinking, empathy, and meaningful personal connections as antidotes to the divisiveness and manipulation prevalent in today’s digital landscape.