Omid Djalili’s four-part Radio 4 stand-up series, Namaste, starts later this month. Here he talks about the role comedy plays in an increasingly polarised world, people’s biggest misconceptions about him, and how he stays hopeful.

You describe the world as feeling louder, angrier and stranger than ever. Do you think we're actually more divided, or just hearing more disagreement?

It’s hard to say. Much of what we see online is AI. So many posts are created specifically to make discourse more polarised. But thankfully comedy is one of the last bastions of truth. Comedians by and large wish to only either entertain, inform or elevate. Doing all three is a challenge but it’s a good test to set yourself - such noble intentions will always yield good and juicy fruits.  

In this series, you consider how stereotypes shape our lives.

What is the most persistent misconception people have about you?

All too often human beings think in boxes. Sometimes we have narrow frames of reference so we can’t really compute what has actually happened and how to react to it. Stereotypes are broad stroke frames of reference to make us understand the world. Which is  why the most persistent misconception about me is that I am Alexei Sayle or Stavros Flatley, two bald overweight middle-aged men. This is not upsetting. I accept it with dignity and grace.  

The series tackles some serious and emotive subjects, such as the conflict in the Middle East. Why are you are drawn to these subjects in your comedy?

Comedians are great levellers. In America, many young people even get their news from the likes of the Daily Show on Comedy Central. Confusing things happen every day so making sense out of the senseless feels like a required daily activity. Seeing things through  a humorous lens though helps to keep your sanity.  

What’s it like to be a comedian in a social media environment where anger has become entertainment? 

Anger or any type of feeling is key to the human experience and as a starting point I’m always guided by my emotions. I have a filter system which refines any particular thought I have before I present it in a clear and coherent way. And therein lies the challenge  for any comedian. The principle is always being guided by one question: will this thought be a positive contribution to the discourse or is it just adding to the noise?  

You end the series on a hopeful note. What’s giving you cause to be optimistic right now?

I am always optimistic because we always get there in the end. And if we haven’t got there, it isn’t the end.

If listeners take away one thing from Namaste, what would you like it to be?

Stay hopeful. Stay alert and remain engaged. And always care. It’s the thing that is going to save us.

• Omid Djalili: Namaste begins September 10 at 6.30pm on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.