Maria Ressa’s address to Harvard graduates was nothing short of a masterclass in irony. Inviting fresh minds to join the “battle for trust,” she delivered this rallying cry as the head of Rappler, the least-trusted news brand in the Philippines. Yes, the world is ablaze, but not just in conflict zones like Gaza or Ukraine. No, Ressa imagines the Philippines as the ultimate war zone, surpassing all. It’s a perspective only someone convicted of cyber libel and honored with a Doctor of Laws could conjure. One might wonder if the honorary degree was awarded for her deft handling of legal entanglements, both personal and as the proprietor of a foreign-funded outlet.

The culmination of this spectacle? A black-tie reception celebrating Ressa and her cohort—welcome to the battleground of the elite! This, dear graduates, is the battlefield of selective valor and elite commendation.