Derate The Hate

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

Our country has been faced with, and is still facing extraordinary and unprecedented times in so many ways. Not only have we been plagued by a pandemic that is contributing to the loss of many of our friends and neighbors, but our government's reaction to the pandemic is taking an incredible toll of it's own. With so many lives and livelihoods decimated by lock-downs, mandates  and the resulting loss of businesses and destruction of the economy, one of many unintended consequences is the number of people who have relapsed into the black hole of depression and addiction.

This week's guest on the Derate the Hate podcast is no stranger to addiction and all the troubles that come along with it. Scott H. Silverman is an expert crisis coach and family navigator, encouraging families and individuals to move forward on the road to recovery. Scott has been featured on multiple news and media outlets for his expertise about addiction and recovery. He is an author, an interventionist and a fellow podcaster.

Scott knows what addiction and hopelessness are about because he’s been there. Scott has spent nearly 4 decades in recovery. It was during a business trip more than 35 years ago, Scott was on the edge, or literally a ledge. Struggling from addiction, considering suicide, and feeling like things were unraveling, he was at rock bottom. The day after trying to kill himself, he flew home and immediately entered treatment. he lived the embarrassment, fear, and helplessness surrounding addiction. But most importantly, he has come out the other side whole.

Today, Scott is the CEO and leads the team at Confidential Recovery, an intensive outpatient substance abuse recovery program based in San Diego, California.

Do not miss this great conversation where Scott and I discuss addiction relapses in the age of Covid. We dive in to how humans are social creatures who need social interaction, the stigma of asking for help, and so many other destructive features of drug  & alcohol addiction, fentanyl overdoses and the opioid crisis that is facing our nation.

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, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, Twitter . Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let us know about someone you think should be on our podcast, and if we book them for a conversation, I’ll send you a free gift! Not on social media? You can share your thoughts directly with me at [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you!

Please check out our affiliates page by clicking HERE!

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

You know the phrase, "welcome to so & so, what can I get for you today" or some variation thereof... I don't know what it's like where you live, but it seems you cannot drive past a fast food restaurant around here without seeing a line stretched completely around the building. What's going on these days that so many people would sit for extended periods of time to get "not so fast" food?

There are a couple things going on here that I dive in to in this episode, none of which are good. Whether it be media & government driven fear of personal interaction, "the great resignation", or just peoples' new norm of avoiding personal contact for whatever their personal reasons may happen to be. None of this is good, because we as human beings are social creatures and we need personal interaction and socialization for the benefit of our physical and mental health. Check out my thoughts in this DTH episode and share your thoughts with me...

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, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, Twitter . Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let us know about someone you think should be on our podcast, and if we book them for a conversation, I’ll send you a free gift! Not on social media? You can share your thoughts directly with me at [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you!

Please check out our affiliates page by clicking HERE!

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

In this current age of toxicity people often assume if someone states something they don't agree with, the automatic reaction is "YOU'RE LYING"... Are they really lying, or are they wrong? Can someone be wrong, and be sincere, but not be lying? Just because someone is sincere about their beliefs, does not make them right, but also does not mean they are lying.

People without the benefit of having facts on their side often like to inhibit or censor the ability of those with dissenting information, and never in American history have we seen a time when there is more of a concerted effort by some to censor those of differing thoughts and opinions. This often times makes the skirmish between "you're lying" and "you're wrong" much more difficult, because peoples' survival instinct kicks in when they are not "allowed" to voice their concerns and opinions. Is it any wonder we are so divided? Take a listen and let me know your thoughts...

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, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, Twitter . Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let us know about someone you think should be on our podcast, and if we book them for a conversation, I’ll send you a free gift! Not on social media? You can share your thoughts directly with me at [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you!

Please check out our affiliates page by clicking HERE!

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

What is aperson of influence? When most people think of people of influence, they often think of sports stars, celebrities, politicians, etc. What if I told you that you that you, no matter what you think of yourself, are most likely in some way a person of influence?

This week I talk a little about one of the most well known persons of influence this country has ever known, Martin Luther King Jr.. Dr. King changed the world through peace, love, understanding and common humanity. While MLK was a force for good, and an incredibly positive person of influence, not all people of influence are forces for good. The influence goes both ways, as is very evident in most peoples' news feed on their social media feed of choice (or main stream media channel)...

Not all people of influence a force for good in your life, so choose wisely. Check out this incredibly important episode, share it with your network far and wide, and help me be a person of influence and a force for good in what at times seems like a sea of divisiveness and darkness. 

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, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, Twitter . Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let us know about someone you think should be on our podcast, and if we book them for a conversation, I’ll send you a free gift! Not on social media? You can share your thoughts directly with me at [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you!

Please check out our affiliates page by clicking HERE!

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

Have you ever had the winter blues? Do you know what the winter blues is? In a conversation I was recently having with some friends, a friend of mine mentioned the winter solstice, how the days were now going to start getting longer again, and how we were getting closer to spring and all the happiness that comes along with it.

This got me to thinking about something called the winter blues. I don't know if I have personally ever been afflicted with the winter blues, but it's likely I have. I decided to do a little research on this and found that it is also called Seasonal Affective Disorder or S.A.D. This SAD in most cases is just a severe case of the winter blues.

In the spirit of bettering the world one attitude at a time, I dug a little deeper and found the best ways to Beat the Winter Blues and wanted to share them with the DTH listeners.

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, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, Twitter . Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let us know about someone you think should be on our podcast, and if we book them for a conversation, I’ll send you a free gift! Not on social media? You can share your thoughts directly with me at [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you!

Please check out our affiliates page by clicking HERE!

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

January 8 is not just another date for this family...
In 1996 I was building houses in the foothills of the rockies and I found out my little sister had a baby boy. Kodi Allen Schroeder was born this day, 1/8/1996
In 2010 I was driving truck and unloading a load of propane in River Falls, Wisconsin when I got the call, my Father passed away... 1/8/2010
January 8th is not just another day for this family....

Notable links:
In Memory of my Departed Father on his would-be 57th Birthdaay

Episode 90: New Year, New You, Nonsense… Every Day is an Opportunity to Better Our Lives

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

Are you one that makes new year's resolutions?  Have you ever made a new year's resolution that you've kept, or what's the longest you've stuck with that resolution? On average, more than 80% of new year's resolutions fail before the second week in February. What if instead of wasting our energy on new year's resolutions, we make daily resolutions to better our lives?

It was 12 years ago this week that we lost my father. He was way too young and not a day goes by that I don't think of him and miss him very much. My Dad taught me so many things, but so much of what I learned from him, I did not learn until after he was gone. I am now less than 10 years from the age my Dad was when he passed, and that brings to the forefront in my mind how important every day is. I talk in this episode how we must never take for granted the days we have on this earth, that we do not know when our last day will come, but we should embrace the idea that every day is an opportunity to better our lives.

Matthew 24:36
"But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

In Memory of my Departed Father on his would-be 57th Birthday
from the Wilksopinion blog originally written March 14, 2011

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, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, Twitter . Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let us know about someone you think should be on our podcast, and if we book them for a conversation, I’ll send you a free gift! Not on social media? You can share your thoughts directly with me at [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you!

Please check out our affiliates page by clicking HERE!

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

It's the holiday season once again, and the final DTH episode for 2021!!  I would just like to take this opportunity to say how grateful I am for my family and all those that support me in my efforts to make the world a better place. 

This is not a long episode, but in it I highlight a conversation that I recently had with a friend that resulted in a great little life lesson.  Sometimes we know that what needs to be said may hurt someone's feelings, or even make them mad, but it needs to be said nonetheless.
I wrap up this episode by playing a recording of a Christmas song that always brings a smile to my face, and I hope it does for you as well.

Short and to the point, but an important episode! Check out some of our latest episodes with some incredible guests. Looking forward to a fantastic 2022!


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, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, Twitter . Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let us know about someone you think should be on our podcast, and if we book them for a conversation, I’ll send you a free gift! Not on social media? You can share your thoughts directly with me at [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you!

Please check out our affiliates page by clicking HERE!

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

He saw Black Lives Matter yucking it up with ANTIFA, having a grand ol' time while black and brown businesses were burning, and Kevin McGary knew that something had to change. He figured people would see through the facade, but as things calmed down, and some of the noise subsided, people still didn't get it...

Who is Kevin McGary and what is EVERY Black Life Matters?
Kevin McGary is an author, public speaker and the president of  Every Black Life Matters (EBLM). EBLM is an organization that considers itself a preeminent justice movement. While this is a noble thought, and seemingly a virtuous goal, “ What does that actually mean?” There have been many organizations that consider themselves justice related organizations and/or movements. “Social Justice,” Racial Justice,” and “Human Rights” organizations (in general), are all about “justice,” right?  Read More about EBLM by clicking here...

For more works by Kevin McGary, check out the links below...
Celebrating the Rittenhouse Verdict... for America
Woke Salvation Army surrendered without a fight

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply)

“If there is any one secret to success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as from your own.” ~Henry Ford

In several of the conversations I’ve had the opportunity to have on the Derate the Hate podcast, many of my guests have either alluded to or outright expressed that one of the greatest problems we face in today’s toxic interactional climate is people’s inability to understand, or unwillingness to understand, not only the opposing side’s point of view, but also to see the humanity in the person or persons expressing said point of view.

Sunday Morning Comin Round is meant to be a round table with a bit of a twist. Admittedly, this is an experiment, and my first time for attempting something like this. I can tell (as I’m sure will be evident), there is a learning curve. With that said, this is NOT A DEBATE, but rather an exercise in understanding each other, and reaching a point of mutual clarity through civility rather than agreement.

Our topic for this very important conversation is: 

“Squaring enhanced gun safety measures with personal gun ownership and the 2nd Amendment” 

The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow the DTH podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack 

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org

Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!

*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.