Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Discussion with Renée DiResta, Georgetown University Associate Research Professor and author of the book, Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies into Reality hosted by the Corporations and Society Initiative (CASI) on April 14, 2026. Moderated by CASI Student Leader Dylan Ackerman (MBA '26), the conversation examines how “misinformation at scale” is eroding trust in institutions and straining democratic life.
Discussion with Renée DiResta, Georgetown University Associate Research Professor and author of the book, Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies into Reality hosted by the Corporations and Society Initiative (CASI) on April 14, 2026. Moderated by CASI Student Leader Dylan Ackerman (MBA '26), the conversation examines how “misinformation at scale” is eroding trust in institutions and straining democratic life.









![Unconventional Wisdom
“I don’t see things like anybody else,” says Jonathan Berk, a professor of finance at Stanford Graduate School of Business. “And so I can see things people dont see.”
On this episode, Berk explores recent research that pushes against conventional wisdom, from questioning the utility of the debt-to-GDP ratio to asking whether regulation is actually in the best interests of the consumer.
“If you disagree with me… You have to write down a convincing theoretical model and analyze [it].”
Berk admits his unique lens doesn’t always make life easy. But on the other hand, “it confers an enormous advantage” — and he believes that organizations which are able to harness the power of unconventional thinking can gain a competitive edge.
“It’s allowed me to solve problems that other people couldnt solve,” he says.
Has seeing the world differently helped you resolve a conundrum? Tell us more at ifthenpod@stanford.edu.
Related Content:
- Jonathan Berk faculty profile: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/faculty/jonathan-b-berk
- What If We’re Looking at the National Debt All Wrong? https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/what-if-were-looking-national-debt-all-wrong Unconventional Wisdom](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mhwpMFiIzg0/mqdefault.jpg)
