Chris Arnold discusses respect, persuasion and acceptance

This includes the freedom to challenge even deeply held beliefs and to question the ethics of actions, regardless of their intended outcomes.

Using the excuse that 'actions are justified for a greater cause' is often the cry of extremists, dictators, and those driven by anger and hate - not the thoughtful approach of intelligent individuals. Strategic persuasion stands in stark contrast to forceful or disruptive actions.

As I often tell my son, "Smart people persuade; angry people fight and shout." Bertrand Russell put it another way: "I believe in using words, not fists."

Years of experience in marketing, often for meaningful causes, have taught me that persuasion is the most effective way to influence how people think and feel.

Using fear to compel people to act against their own beliefs may work temporarily, but it comes at the cost of open expression and free speech.

Unfortunately, many today seem afraid to share their opposite opinions or challenge them for fear of retribution.

Certain causes and beliefs on social media stir strong emotions, but all the shouting and anger rarely lead to change.

Chris Arnold says that strategic persuasion stands in contrast to disruptive action (Image: Chris Arnold) History's most effective figures - like Gandhi and Martin Luther King - used passive, persuasive methods.

David Attenborough, for instance, is considered one of the world’s most influential voices on environmental issues, while more confrontational movements (like Extinction Rebellion) rank far lower in effectiveness.

For decades, people have held strong, contrasting beliefs. Some welcome debate, while others try to suppress dissent, often demonising those with differing views. But labelling anyone who disagrees as an enemy is a threat to free speech.

I am not sure who writes the rules on what is right and wrong, what's offensive or acceptable, they seem to change almost weekly.

Ricky Gervais humorously mocks terms like "dead naming," highlighting the arbitrariness of certain rules. Who created these terms, and by what authority do they expect everyone to adhere to their rules?

Joe Rogan's comedy club in the US hosts "woke-free weekends".

Comedians, it seems, are leading the pushback against censorship, gagging orders, and cancel culture.

Those claiming moral superiority (the self-righteous) often act as if their beliefs are universally correct and everyone must submit. Anyone who questions or challenges is deemed wrong and needs to be silenced.

But a healthy community is built on empathy, understanding, and the acceptance of diverse perspectives and values. Our differences enrich us, and no one person or group has the right to demand that others conform to their view - that is tyranny.

Social media can be a valuable platform for sharing opinions but using it to vilify dissenters is unacceptable. Unfortunately, some people feel entitled to suppress any challenge, as they fear genuine debate and scrutiny of their beliefs.

As Bertrand Russell famously said, “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubt.”

• Chris Arnold is co-founder and director of the Crouch End Festival (crouchendfestival.org).