Derate The Hate

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Can Christians and Atheists Get Along? Christians and Atheists often face roadblocks in understanding and accepting each other due to deeply ingrained differences in belief systems. One major obstacle is the perception of morality and purpose. Christians may view their faith as the ultimate source of moral guidance and p...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Getting Below The Surface of Toxic Polarization Human evolution in perspectives is a dynamic process shaped by experiences, education, and self-reflection. Individuals often display a tendency to forgive themselves swiftly for past views and mistakes, while adopting a less forgiving stance towards others. This discrepanc...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) DEI vs. Diversity of Thought I recently read an article in the Free Black Thought substack written by my friend Dr. Tabia Lee entitled: DEI COLLEAGUES: YOUR ANTI-SEMITISM IS SHOWING . With recent events being what they are in the middle east, and the ensuing hate mongering that is taking place world-wide, the article sto...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Thanksgiving, a Time For Gratitude Thanksgiving serves as a poignant reminder that gratitude should not be confined to a single day but embraced every day. This special occasion, however, magnifies the importance of acknowledging and appreciating the blessings in our lives. Beyond the festive feast and familial gathering...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Speaking with The Younger You Have you ever imagined engaging in a conversation with your younger, more naive, and possibly even a more hateful self? Imagine finding yourself grappling with the echoes of your past ignorance. The earlier version of you, fueled by limited experiences and misguided perspectives, expressing...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Have you ever wondered how to have a meaningful conversation with someone with whom you disagree vehemently on a particular topic? Do you have family members that you disagree with politically, and cannot have a conversation without things becoming heated and toxic? What if there were a book that could teach you "Ho...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) If Your Life Sucks, It's Your Fault, Change It Masculinity, in and of itself, is not toxic; it is a complex and multifaceted aspect of identity. However, men are undeniably influenced by the role models they look up to while growing up. If they choose toxic individuals as mentors, they may inadvertently follow a pat...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Nonviolence and a Needed Revival of Humanity and Moral Clarity  Learning not to hate those with whom we disagree is a profound lesson in cultivating empathy and understanding. Often, violence and hate stem from a sense of feeling devalued or misunderstood. Embracing the idea that everyone's perspective is shaped by...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Barbarism Fueled By An Ideology of Hatred What drives someone to commit the most evil acts imaginable by another human being? People are not born inherently evil, just like they are not born inherently good. Both are learned behaviors.  Why then are some taught to hate others, to a point at which they would commit the un...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Overcoming Anger Through The Languages of Love  Love is the emotional cornerstone that enriches and gives meaning to our lives, transcending barriers and fostering a profound connection with others. It holds the transformative power to dismantle the walls we build around ourselves, allowing genuine human connections to f...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) The "Doom Loop" of Polarization  Political beliefs are often shaped by party affiliations rather than the other way around, contributing to the phenomenon of political tribalism. Individuals align themselves with a particular political party, and in doing so, adopt the party's established set of beliefs an...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Building Bridges Through Faith, Good Will and Conversations Envy and coveting what others have can lead to a range of personal and societal problems. On an individual level, these emotions can breed discontent, erode self-esteem, and foster negative comparisons. I’ve seen so often how this can result in unhappiness and a...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) The Trans Community IS NOT A Monolith Assuming that groups of people think as a monolith is a simplistic and often harmful mindset. It oversimplifies the rich diversity of perspectives and experiences within any given group, ignoring individual differences and perpetuating stereotypes. People are shaped by a multitude of...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) A Physician’s Front-Line Account Of The Covid Pandemic “The public health policy’s connection with the health of a society is only peripheral, the real impact of public health is that it determines how everyone lives and conducts business. If you do not have a good, effective public health structure, you simply cannot ex...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Exploring Civility: A Weakness Or Bold Necessity? I find it interesting that some, when presented with the idea of confronting those of differing mindsets with curiosity rather than hostility, accuse those seeking civility of somehow being weak or cowardly. As someone who used to do my share of spreading toxicity, I can...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Will Generation Z Be Our Open Minded Hopeful Majority? When a generation is consistently taught that tribalism trumps unity, a divisive mindset takes root. Generation Z is a such a group, raised amid boundless digital information, confronts a paradox: being told unity is unattainable through open dialogue and curious con...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Truth Is The Resolution To Irrationality The suppression of truth can have profound consequences, often leading to irrational behavior among individuals and societies. When information is deliberately withheld or manipulated, it distorts people's understanding of reality, creating a skewed perspective that can foste...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Humility & Free Speech Are Fundamental Prerequisites For Trust In Science If you have been following me from the beginning, you know I've been outspoken in opposition to much of the government's response to the pandemic since very early in 2020. But not unlike a tree falling in a forest when there is nobody...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Acknowledgement Is Needed To Confront The Stains Of Our Past The power to transform the world lies within the choices we make when wielding our words. It is imperative that we redefine the way we express ourselves, both in speaking of ourselves and of others. Conflicts will arise, but it is essential to recognize that am...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) A Hunger For Healing That Gives Us Hope It may be lost on many who spend all their time navigating the toxicity of the internet ecosystem, but there is a deep hunger for civic renewal and a return to civility in public discourse. As hardworking individuals in the exhausted middle, who often feel overlooked or caught in t...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Are Conservatives The Biggest Challenge The LGB Community Faces? It's not often you see the letters LGB these days without the rest of the characters. What was once a movement of same-sex attracted persons, traditionally known as Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, has become something many from that original movement find har...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) How Looking Through An Us-vs-Them Lens Leads To More Animosity & Anger  So much of the work I do in the depolarization space leads me to great people of all mindsets. It's not that we have to agree, we just have to find a way to disagree in a more civil way. In today's hyper-connected world, where social me...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) 2023 Braver Angels National Convention Recap On Wednesday, July 5, 2023, Braver Angels orchestrated a remarkable gathering, uniting nearly 700 delegates from diverse backgrounds across our great nation. Their mission: to engage in meaningful discussions on how individuals with varying political mindsets can unite and con...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) What is The People's Patriot Project? I am often asked where I find the drive to do this work I do with the Derate The Hate podcast, or how I find the time to do the work I do with the Braver Angels organization. It seems that I answer this in many ways because there are many reasons, but it often comes down to this...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Why The Uproar About The Latest SCOTUS Rulings? There's nothing like a little Supreme Court action these days to get the masses all riled up. In these polarized and divisive times, would you expect any less. While approximately 70% of the American public believes that race should not play a part in college admission...