Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

Unpacking the Woke Right, White Identity Politics & The Equality Fight

In Episode 264 of Derate The Hate, host Wilk Wilkinson welcomes Hunter Ash and returning guest Julian Adorney for a bold, honest, and highly relevant conversation on the rise of woke right identity politics, the pitfalls of anti-racism orthodoxy, and how we might build a more unified, equitable society without falling into the traps of division and fear.

🔥 What we cover:

• The rise of white identity politics and the “woke right”
• How anti-racism initiatives can backfire on the goal of true equality
• The dangerous cycle of reifying group divisions in the name of justice
• DEI, critical race theory, and the real-world consequences of policy
• Building bridges beyond the binaries of left vs. right

👥 Julian Adorney, writer and contributor to Reality’s Last Stand, shares key insights from his article, “Why Christians Must Reject the Woke Right’s Answer to Racism,” offering a hopeful path forward grounded in empathy, faith, and individual dignity.

🎯 Hunter Ash, a bold new voice from the dissident right, challenges mainstream narratives and presents the uncomfortable truths behind many rising sentiments in post-woke conservatism.

✅ Subscribe, rate, and share if you find value in this conversation. We’re here to learn, not just to argue.

🎧 Tune in now and check out previous conversations with Julian Adorney in earlier episodes of Derate The Hate!

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

Episode 263: How Contempt Fuels Division and What We Can Do About It – with Zachary Elwood

What’s truly tearing us apart isn’t disagreement—it’s contempt. In Episode 263 of the Derate The Hate podcast, Wilk Wilkinson is joined once again by Zachary Elwood, author of the new book How Contempt Destroys Democracy: An American Liberal’s Guide to Toxic Polarization.

Zach shares powerful insights into how confirmation bias, emotional thinking, and our grievance culture feed political division. Wilk and Zach dive deep into why curiosity is a critical tool for unity, how media and social platforms fuel outrage, and why focusing on local community action can help us escape the national polarization trap.

🎧 Tune in and learn:

• ✅ Why contempt, not disagreement, is one of our biggest societal threats
• ✅ How online behavior fuels tribal thinking
• ✅ The power of emotional intelligence and curiosity in bridging divides
• ✅ What you can do to depolarize conversations in your own life

If you're ready to understand the emotional roots of toxic polarization and what we can do about it, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

🔗 Previous Episode with Zachary Elwood: Check out our earlier conversation in Episode 170 for even more insight into Zach’s powerful work in the depolarization space. Link can be found in the full show notes at DerateTheHate.com

📘 Learn more about Zach’s new book: www.american-anger.com
🎙️ Explore Zach’s podcast: People Who Read People

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

Exposing the Cost of Fear: School Closures, Media Failures, and COVID Truths

In DTH Episode 262, Wilk Wilkinson sits down with investigative journalist and author David Zweig to explore the pandemic-era decisions that reshaped American education. David, widely known for his work on the Twitter Files and now his explosive new book, An Abundance of Caution, unpacks how fear, flawed media narratives, and political tribalism drove the closure of schools—with devastating consequences for children and society.

From misinformed public health messaging to the silencing of dissenting voices, this episode pulls back the curtain on what really happened during COVID—and how we can make sure it never happens again.

🔎 Topics include:

✅ Why school closures were more harmful than helpful
✅ How fear-mongering in the media shaped destructive policies
✅ The lasting impact on student learning, development, and mental health
✅ The dangers of manufactured consensus and silence among experts
✅ How political polarization endangered education

Don't miss this powerful conversation with one of today’s most courageous investigative voices.

If you’ve heard my conversations with Dr. Francis Collins (former NIH Director) and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya (current NIH Director), this episode is an essential follow-up. Where they explored restoring trust in science and medicine, David shines a light on some of the how and why that trust was lost in the first place.

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

How do we turn information into true transformation? This week on Derate The Hate, I’m joined by Kim Bach, cofounder of Dailyhuman Inc., mindset coach, and Chief People Officer, who is on a mission to close the gap between knowing and becoming. In this conversation, we explore what Kim calls the "humaning crisis" — a growing struggle with negativity, disconnection, and lack of essential soft skills.

Kim shares tools and insights around self-reflection, storytelling, and the development of a growth mindset — all essential for rebuilding trust in ourselves and with others. With 80% of our 80,000 daily thoughts being negative, it’s easy to see how default thinking can feed polarization and discontent. But the good news? We can change the story we tell ourselves.

If you're ready to take the next best step toward becoming the next best version of yourself, this episode is for you.

👉 Connect with Kim Bach and Dailyhuman at:
🌐 Website: dailyhuman.com
🔗 LinkedIn: Kim Bach on LinkedIn
📸 Instagram: @dailyhumanco
📺 YouTube: Watch Kim on YouTube

Be sure to check out the full show notes on the Derate The Hate website, www.DerateTheHate.com

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

What happens when we stop trying to win arguments and start trying to understand each other?

In this episode of Derate The Hate, Wilk Wilkinson sits down with Sydney-based creative and entrepreneur Jonah Primo, producer of Australia’s #1 philosophy podcast Principle of Charity and host of The Overexamined Life. Together, they explore how empathy, mindfulness, and the principle of charity can shift the way we engage with others—especially when we disagree.

Jonah shares his powerful personal journey from dissatisfaction to deep fulfillment, shaped by years of studying philosophy, meditation, and lived human experiences. This conversation dives into the mental frameworks that help reduce polarization, foster gratitude, and bring presence into everyday life.

🎧 Topics include:

• The principle of charity: engaging with opposing views in good faith
• Why tribalism leads to moral blindness
• How mindfulness helps us manage anger and anxiety
• Using philosophical tools for practical, real-world fulfillment
• The importance of honoring lived experiences in dialogue

If you’re tired of toxic discourse and ready to rethink how we relate across divides, this one’s for you.

🔗 Learn more about Jonah Primo’s work:

• The Overexamined Life podcast
• Principle of Charity podcast
• StudioPrimo productions

🧠 Whether you’re curious about improving dialogue, managing your emotional triggers, or just living with a bit more joy, this episode delivers.

🎧 Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review if this conversation resonated with you!

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

Episode 259 – Dr. Bruce Chalmer: When Communication Isn’t the Real Problem in Relationships (or in Society)

What if the root of conflict in our relationships — and in our divided world — isn’t a failure to communicate, but a failure to tolerate discomfort?

In this episode of Derate The Hate, I sit down with couples therapist and author Dr. Bruce Chalmer to explore how anxiety, not poor communication, is often the true barrier to meaningful connection — both in marriages and across ideological divides.

Bruce has worked with couples for nearly 30 years, and his book It’s Not About Communication! challenges everything we think we know about relationship struggles. But what makes this conversation especially powerful is how deeply his insights apply beyond romantic partnerships — to how we engage in tough conversations with those we disagree with.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

✅ Why communication isn’t the root problem in many relationships
✅ How anxiety disrupts connection and meaningful dialogue
✅ Why tolerating discomfort is essential to emotional intimacy
✅ How ideas lead to growth, but ideologies often create rigidity
✅ The impact of confirmation bias on both romantic and political conversations
✅ Why faith in others’ humanity is foundational for bridging divides
✅ How the tools of couples therapy can strengthen civil discourse

We also discuss Bruce’s podcast with his wife Judy, Couples Therapy in Seven Words, where they explore love, faith, and what it means to truly connect in a world that often prioritizes being right over being human.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Emotional connection requires vulnerability, not just technique
✅ Communication “problems” are often anxiety in disguise
✅ Real transformation comes from deep listening and mutual respect
✅ The goal of conversation isn’t to win — it’s to connect
✅ We must create shared space for dialogue, even amid disagreement

Learn more about and connect with Dr. Bruce Chalmer by getting the full show notes at www.DerateTheHate.com

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

Episode 287 – Rebuilding Social Trust Through Place-Based Community Engagement with Eric Higbee

In this powerful episode of the Derate The Hate podcast, Wilk Wilkinson sits down with landscape architect, community organizer, and writer Eric Higbee to explore the transformative power of place-based community engagement in our increasingly fragmented society.

Eric shares insights from his multifaceted work at the intersection of placemaking, civic renewal, and social psychology. Through his award-winning design practice, Convene, and his respected Substack newsletter, The Answer is Community, Eric helps individuals and local governments build deeper, more empathetic relationships where they live.

Key Topics Covered:

✅ Why online interactions can’t replace real, local community engagement
✅ The psychology behind building empathy and reducing social anxiety
✅ How intergroup contact theory supports community healing
✅ The dual role of grassroots organizing and local government in fostering social cohesion
✅ How common cause projects can unite people across ideological divides
✅ The importance of physical spaces in creating social trust
✅ What civic participation really looks like in your own neighborhood

Top Takeaways:

✅ Civic renewal starts locally—through real-world relationships and shared purpose
✅ Empathy and anxiety reduction are vital for bridging social divides
✅ Both individuals and local governments must take ownership of community wellbeing
✅ Place-based communities are the foundation for lasting social cohesion

Whether you’re a local leader, community-minded citizen, or simply tired of online polarization, this episode will inspire you to engage more deeply with those around you—and offer tools to get started.

Learn more about and connect with Eric Higbee by getting the full show notes for this episode at www.DerateTheHate.com.

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

The End of Solitude, Culture, and the Fight for Individuality

In this episode of Derate The Hate, host Wilk Wilkinson sits down with award-winning essayist, cultural critic, and author William Deresiewicz for an insightful conversation on solitude, the internet’s impact on society, political polarization, and the importance of civic engagement in an increasingly fragmented world.

William Deresiewicz is the author of The End of Solitude: Selected Essays on Culture and Society, a powerful collection that examines how digital technology has reshaped our relationships, eroded genuine human connection, and deepened societal divides. As a former Yale and Columbia professor and an influential voice in cultural criticism, Bill brings a unique perspective on individuality, self-examination, and the need for real community in an age dominated by online interactions.

Key Takeaways from this Episode:

✅ The Importance of Solitude: How the internet has altered our relationship with solitude and why reclaiming it is essential for deep thinking and self-awareness.
✅ The Internet & Society: The ways in which digital technology has reshaped our social interactions, often leading to community decay, polarization, and dehumanization.
✅ Political Polarization & Self-Examination: How emotional investment in beliefs fuels division and why intellectual humility is critical for a healthier civic discourse.
✅ Civic Engagement as an Antidote to Online Toxicity: The role of real-world community-building in counteracting the negative effects of social media-driven discourse.
✅ Pro-Human Philosophy: As a new member of the ProHuman Foundation’s Board of Advisors, Bill discusses the need to reinforce individuality and shared humanity in today’s divided culture.
✅ The Future of Culture & Identity: Why people are growing dissatisfied with extreme ideological divides and how embracing nuanced, human-centered discussions can lead to positive change.

Learn more About William Deresiewicz in the full show notes for this episode at DerateTheHate.com

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!