The Burden We Bear: The Responsibility of Citizenship In the Digital Age and Beyond

If the Founders built a republic on virtue, sacrifice, and a shared social contract, what does that contract look like now? In the wake of 9/11, America briefly rediscovered unity and civic spirit, but two decades later, technology, social media, and hyper-partisan echo chambers have fractured that shared purpose. This session explores how the digital age has reshaped truth, identity, and responsibility. Citizenship now requires discernment over reaction, contribution over consumption, and courage over comfort. In a world of clicks and chaos, we must ask: are we still willing to bear the burden,and if so, how?