Commonwealth Club: Anand Giridharadas

In a democracy, meaningful change often requires a certain level of public consensus. Some believe finding common ground and building rapport is the best way to change minds. Others believe activism and protests are key to bringing awareness to an issue. Increasingly, however, the act of persuasion is left out, as each side is convinced that the other is unmovable. Anand Giridharadas, author of the new book "The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy," believes that understanding the art of persuasion is critical to strengthening democracy and fostering positive societal change.