Like many of us, Anand Giridharadas (American political commentator, bestselling author) despaired how the world had become stuck in a fractured suckhole and he could no longer convince people to change their hearts and minds to be kinder and better. So he went on a mission to find out how to persuade more effectively, resulting in his recent book The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy.
In this chat, the former foreign correspondent and New York Times columnist argues this wild idea: Progressives working on issues like race equality and climate (and, um, an Indigenous Voice to parliament) need to give up on political purity and… persuade! This is not your usual “effective communications” thesis. We cover what we can learn from the Russian bot farms, A.O.C. and a cult deprogrammer. This episode comes at a critical time, as many of us are 1. feeling defeatist about progressive/humane discussion today, and 2. seeking techniques to equip us for being of service in a troubled world.
SHOW NOTES
Get hold of Anands’ book The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy
Follow Anand at his Substack The.Ink
If you need to know a bit more about me… head to my "about" page
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BONUS EPISODE 1: Tips and guided meditation for travel
Wild with Sarah Wilson, season 3 announcement
EMILY ATKIN: The best case ever for climate rage!
DAN BUETTNER: The Blue Zones guy shows us the trick to adding 10 years to our lives
ABBIE CHATFIELD: Millennial feminism, a mind blowing introduction.
FEARNE COTTON: A chat with the British ‘It’ girl’ about the struggle for happiness
THE LADY IN RED: special episode
DAVID WHYTE: The insta-calm of poetry and asking beautiful questions
SAUL GRIFFITH: Biden’s renegade climate advisor from Wollongong drops the best ever climate bomb!
OLIVER BURKEMAN: 4000 weeks…it’s all we got in this lifetime, folks!
Ask Me Anything...about climate change
CLARE DUBOIS: How victim consciousness is destroying the planet (fire up, people!)
TIMOTHY MORTON: My favourite hobby is making sure people don’t feel like dying
TARA JUNE WINCH: Being Aussie is a mental health crisis
DR JUD BREWER: On curiosity as the fix for anxiety
DR JILL BOLTE TAYLOR: The neuroscientist shows Sarah how to live blissfully in the right brain
Ask Me Anything - Part 2
Ask Me Anything - Part 1
TIM BROWN: Sarah’s meditation teacher joins the show
JAMES HOLLIS: The Jungian take on 2021
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