Doctor Mike

And maybe coming to the United States, learning a different language, seeing the unfairness at some level that was happening to me as an immigrant, seeing my friends that were bullied,

watching shows that instilled it.

Like it could have been as simple as watching like Doug on Nickelodeon or Rugrats where fairness was a principle that was valuable.

So I don't know if it was anything deeper because I was raised a religious.

My parents were very practical in their get an education.

We're Soviet parents.

My father went to medical school again in the United States to become a physician again.

My mom was a PhD math professor that then swept floors here and ultimately became a professor again.

So they didn't really instill that to that degree because they were just like, work, work, work, get an education.

But I don't know, I guess there might've been some moments that I've missed that led me to say, oh, truth is very valuable.

I always just viewed truth as a long-term antidote to anxiety.

almost like in cognitive behavioral therapy, how you try and speak back to irrational thoughts.

I felt like truth was always that answer.

Like if I just told the truth, there's nothing more I can do.

So I did it everything.

I kind of laid it out on the line.

In thinking of trying to get a girlfriend when you're 14, 15 years old, you're like,

I'll just tell the truth.

Oh boy, that didn't work well when you were a kid.

But it allowed you to have more peace when your head hits the pillow at night.