Mizzou's Open Minds Initiative brings bestselling author and filmmaker to campus
Mizzou’s Open Minds Initiative, in partnership with the Lloyd B. Thomas Lecture and Performance Series, welcomed Sebastian Junger, bestselling author of “The Perfect Storm,” to the Missouri Theatre on February 4.
Drawing from his books, “Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging” and “Freedom,” Junger explored how humans are wired for connection, thriving in small, connected groups that rely on each other to survive, in contrast to modern’ society’s individualism that can leave people feeling isolated and disconnected. Junger also drew extensively from his experiences reporting on war and its aftermath, including “Restrepo,” a documentary film he co-directed that chronicles a platoon of U.S. soldiers facing extreme conditions in Afghanistan. Junger asserted that rebuilding a sense of shared commitment is essential to wellbeing and stronger communities.
Junger encouraged the more than 600 attendees to put these ideas into practice through everyday civic engagement, urging them to serve on jury duty, vote, and donate blood, as just a few meaningful ways to become involved in their communities.
The Open Minds Initiative is a comprehensive effort to strengthen the promise of higher education by hosting events and engagements where the free exchange of ideas and constructive disagreement are celebrated as essential pillars of education and truth-seeking.