Wilk Wilkinson, host of Derate the Hate and Director of Media Systems and Operations at Braver Angels, joins host Cody Cook to talk about our polarized political climate and how to rise above it. Braver Angels is a cross-partisan grassroots movement that strives to bridge toxic partisan divides through civil dialogue and civic renewal. Wilkinson shares his journey from a “toxic keyboard warrior” to advocating for depolarized conversations, emphasizing that dialogue doesn’t mean compromising core beliefs—like a libertarian’s stance against state violence—but fosters understanding. Can you engage neo-Nazis or Klansmen? Wilkinson, friends with de-radicalization expert Daryl Davis, insists even the darkest minds can teach us something, preventing downstream harm. While fear-driven memes grab clicks, Braver Angels’ love-based approach, though more challenging to scale, builds trust over outrage. Wilkinson’s Derate the Hate podcast and BraverAngels.org invite you to join this patriotic movement to heal divides.

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