Tatler Talks Recap: Lessons From Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Maria Ressa

Apart from her award-winning work, the fearless journalist and Nobel laureate’s resolute strength is aspirational to all

In this episode of Tatler Talks hosted by broadcast journalist Karen Davila, the undaunted journalist and 2021 Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa recounts how a clear sense of purpose and moral code has paved the profound life she’s led thus far, bringing her to achieve astonishing feats.

One need only catch her spirited conversation with Davila to witness Ressa as a stalwart beacon of strength, inspiration, and, almost unimaginably, optimism in the face of ceaseless hurdles. In case you missed it, Tatler proudly details three nuggets of wisdom from the Nobel laureate about seeking to make an impact, living a life of no regrets, and always standing up for what's right.

Photo 1 of 2 Ressa has propelled Rappler to become one of the country's most popular media platforms at the forefront of the fight for truth and press freedom

Photo 2 of 2 Marie Ressa is interviewed by long-time colleague and friend Karen Davila for this special edition of Tatler Talks

Strive to build a life of meaning

While it may have led her down the path of becoming the first Filipino to ever receive the Nobel Prize, her chosen profession as a journalist was never a means to garner acclaim for Ressa but an undertaking that gave her life direction and purpose. “I don’t think you can set out to get an award. I think that makes you a cartoon version of yourself. I think what you try to do is build a life of meaning,” she shared. “Journalism gave me a sense of mission, a sense of purpose. It gave my life meaning.”

In order to create the best life you can have, be compelled to ask: what or who do you want to live life for? Ressa added, “You live the best life you think you can do by setting goals outside of yourself. You look at impact—you don’t look at gain.”

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Define who you are and your values

“You don’t know you are until you’re forced to fight for it,” said the world-renowned journalist on the importance of defining her values and identity amidst severe attacks on her credibility and reputation fueled by the government. She mused, “Did I ever think I’d be arrested? No. […] Did I ever think that the law would be weaponised? No. But what do you do when you’re confronted with that reality? Do you buckle down and accept it? No. I know my rights were violated. And because they were, I can [speak out] with certainty.”

Like how her pursuit of truth and defence of press freedom is rooted in her mission as a journalist, Ressa’s unwavering strength can be credited to a confidence in her principles. She shared, “I always have a guiding light. When I was much younger, it was [the golden rule]. Then when I got to [Princeton University], it was the honour code. For every person who signs the honour code, you pledge, not just not to cheat, you also pledge to report anyone else you see, who is violating the honour code.”

Steadfast in her stand for truth and democracy, Ressa revealed she regrets nothing in her journey as a journalist. “Journalists aren’t perfect, but we make up for not being perfect by being transparent. When you make a mistake, you tell people what it is.”

Above Ressa's book titled, "How to Stand Up to a Dictator", is slated for release this month

The fight for truth is everyone’s fight

In a time when disinformation and revisionist propaganda spread like wildfire on social media, Ressa reiterates the need to speak out and that silence is complicity. “It goes back to: what is your honour? Because when you’re silent and someone is doing something that is horrendous, like killing people, for example, you become complicit. You enable that to happen in your world.”

With the next presidential elections drawing close, she added, “You cannot have integrity of elections if you don’t have integrity of facts. What we have noticed and chronicled through data is that both the Duterte administration and the Marcos family have repeatedly used disinformation networks to manipulate Filipinos. That’s how we have seen history revised in front of our eyes. It’s a massive challenge. So, the question for every Filipino today is how important are the facts to you? What are you willing to sacrifice for the truth? Here’s what’s at stake again, not just for the Philippines, but for the world.”