In an exclusive interview with Christina Palassio, Anand Giridharadas, whose latest book is The Persuaders, talks about building progressive fronts, crafting popular narratives that unite instead of divide, and crossing political lines to connect with people on a values level.

In the prologue to his fourth book, The Persuaders, Anand Giridharadas describes how the Internet Research Agency, a Russian industrial troll farm, used fake social profiles to sow disinformation, inflame mistrust, and undermine trust in democracy in the United States. It’s a deeply upsetting case study of how hate spreads faster than facts.

The Persuaders begins by pulling back the curtain on how bad actors use the power of social media to spread lies and hate, but the mission of the book isn’t to depress readers. While his previous book, Winners Take All, described how the wealthy elite distract us with the illusion of change while they continue to amass enormous wealth and power, The Persuaders is a study of the individuals and movements that are fighting against hate and for real progressive social change – by building progressive fronts, crafting popular narratives that unite instead of divide, having difficult conversations, and refusing to participate in what he calls “the great write-off.”

Giridharadas spoke with The Philanthropist Journal in Toronto in late March at the 2023 DemocracyXChange Summit, where he delivered the opening keynote.

Read the full interview:

thephilanthropist.ca

In an exclusive interview with Christina Palassio, Anand Giridharadas, whose latest book is The Persuaders, talks about building progressive fronts, crafting popular narratives that unite instead of divide, and crossing political lines to connect with people on a values level.