Wilk Wilkinson

It's a real honor, man. I appreciate being here. Thank you so much. You betcha. So first tell us about Derate the Hate. So Derate the Hate is a podcast I started back in 2020 with the mission statement of bettering the world one attitude at a time.

It's a real honor, man. I appreciate being here. Thank you so much. You betcha. So first tell us about Derate the Hate. So Derate the Hate is a podcast I started back in 2020 with the mission statement of bettering the world one attitude at a time.

It's one of these things where I saw the toxicity in the world just getting out of hand, knew that through personal accountability, through personal mindset, we could start to rebuild our way of doing things. And it's been quite a ride.

It's one of these things where I saw the toxicity in the world just getting out of hand, knew that through personal accountability, through personal mindset, we could start to rebuild our way of doing things. And it's been quite a ride.

So my background, Drew, is actually in transportation. I was a truck driver for several years and now I manage truck drivers by trade and do this thing, the mindset work, the depolarization work, the conducting of civil conversations work on the side. It's more of a passion project for me to volunteer in this depolarization space and Like I said, try to better the world in which we live.

So my background, Drew, is actually in transportation. I was a truck driver for several years and now I manage truck drivers by trade and do this thing, the mindset work, the depolarization work, the conducting of civil conversations work on the side. It's more of a passion project for me to volunteer in this depolarization space and Like I said, try to better the world in which we live.

So it's definitely been something.

So it's definitely been something.

Well, the resistance comes from people who obviously just don't want to have conversations. They don't want to step outside of their silos. People have found themselves, especially in the age of COVID, becoming far more comfortable in their own bubbles, in their own silos. And not wanting to have discussions, especially about contentious issues.

Well, the resistance comes from people who obviously just don't want to have conversations. They don't want to step outside of their silos. People have found themselves, especially in the age of COVID, becoming far more comfortable in their own bubbles, in their own silos. And not wanting to have discussions, especially about contentious issues.

It's something that we face across the spectrum when it comes to issues, whether it be the class divide or the racial divide or the COVID divide. We've become all too comfortable in the age of social media with attacking those we don't agree with, but not having actual conversations with those we disagree with.

It's something that we face across the spectrum when it comes to issues, whether it be the class divide or the racial divide or the COVID divide. We've become all too comfortable in the age of social media with attacking those we don't agree with, but not having actual conversations with those we disagree with.

Well, it's really about, Drew, it's really about convincing people of the importance of a conversation. One of the things that I've done is gone out and sought out some of the most diametrically opposed figures in our society today.

Well, it's really about, Drew, it's really about convincing people of the importance of a conversation. One of the things that I've done is gone out and sought out some of the most diametrically opposed figures in our society today.

The biggest example, obviously, is Dr. Francis Collins, former head of the NIH, and then my friend Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, who is obviously now, as some people will understand, especially some of your viewers and listeners, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is on the short list to become the head of the NIH.

The biggest example, obviously, is Dr. Francis Collins, former head of the NIH, and then my friend Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, who is obviously now, as some people will understand, especially some of your viewers and listeners, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is on the short list to become the head of the NIH.

Trying to, you know, bring these people together has become, like I said, one of the biggest projects of my life. And to do that, it's really about stressing the importance of the conversation. Because as my friend Monica Guzman from Braver Angels says, those who are underrepresented in our life will be overrepresented in our minds and our imaginations.

Trying to, you know, bring these people together has become, like I said, one of the biggest projects of my life. And to do that, it's really about stressing the importance of the conversation. Because as my friend Monica Guzman from Braver Angels says, those who are underrepresented in our life will be overrepresented in our minds and our imaginations.

When people are not having that conversation, Drew, they start to make up things in their mind about who this person is, what this person thinks, what their motivations are. And that's where we get into that ugly place, right? That ignorance is a self-perpetuating cycle. And with that ignorance comes fear. And that fear then develops into hatred. And that hatred eventually can end up in violence.

When people are not having that conversation, Drew, they start to make up things in their mind about who this person is, what this person thinks, what their motivations are. And that's where we get into that ugly place, right? That ignorance is a self-perpetuating cycle. And with that ignorance comes fear. And that fear then develops into hatred. And that hatred eventually can end up in violence.