Fredrica Thompson and Jermaine Dean

[00:03] JERMAINE DEAN: All right. Hello. I am Jermaine Dean. I'm 24, and today is October 18, 2023. We're currently in Florissant, Missouri, and I'm currently interviewing with Fredricka Thompson, who is my mother.

[00:25] FREDRICA THOMPSON: I am Fredricka Thompson. I am 45 years old. The date is October 18, 2023. We are in florissant, Missouri. Jermaine Dean is who I'm interviewing with, and he is my son.

[00:42] JERMAINE DEAN: All right. I would start by saying I recently learned how easy sorbet is to make. And I made some last week because we didn't have any ice cream or anything. And I just took some raspberries, just frozen raspberries, put them in a blender with a little bit of sugar and cardamom. And cardamom is great with the, with the raspberries. And when I had it, it was just. It was just delicious.

[01:11] FREDRICA THOMPSON: Were you working, like, from a recipe or you just.

[01:14] JERMAINE DEAN: No, I didn't have anything, like, sweet to eat. I just wanted something sweet.

[01:18] FREDRICA THOMPSON: No, I mean, what made you choose to add cardamom to the mix?

[01:24] JERMAINE DEAN: Oh, I've added cardamom to my, like, just like a fruit bowl. And it. I think it kind of accentuates the fruity flavor.

[01:32] FREDRICA THOMPSON: Oh, okay. That sounds good.

[01:36] JERMAINE DEAN: Yeah, I gotta. I gotta. I gotta give you some sometime because it's.

[01:41] FREDRICA THOMPSON: I would probably want blueberries, though, because I don't know. I just associate raspberries with bean. I asked you, I put it on.

[01:50] JERMAINE DEAN: Silent, but I guess I didn't need it to do it for my alarm specifically, too.

[01:56] FREDRICA THOMPSON: But I just associate raspberries with being more tart. And I like sweet stuff.

[02:04] JERMAINE DEAN: That's what the sugar's for, I suppose. But, yeah, I guess I like tart things, too.

[02:14] FREDRICA THOMPSON: I was thinking about talking about, I guess, like, dreams and aspirations in life as far as. For me, it's more like I'm at a point in life where I'm looking back, where I'm looking at things while I do still have things that I would like to do, things that I have accomplished in my life. But I wanted to ask you, what are your, like, dreams and aspirations like, even if the most far fetched ones, the things that you would be surprised if you actually complete in your lifetime as well as things that you fully anticipate achieving.

[03:03] JERMAINE DEAN: Okay, so, but just to be clear, you're saying you want to ask me, like, my wildest dreams?

[03:09] FREDRICA THOMPSON: Both. I want to know both. Okay.

[03:10] JERMAINE DEAN: Both, huh. Well, I would say I want to make a large contribution to science. I want to. I guess I just I just want to bridge the gaps in understanding with just, I don't know, the world and things. I feel like there's so many things that seem like they're refined to where it can't really be any better. But in my opinion, I think there's a lot of things that only appear that way because we're only looking at them from one perspective. I believe that I I can, you know, trying to think of how to, like, how to put it in words, but, like, I can bounce around perspectives and see things from different points of view. And I think that I could use that. And with my understanding of things that, I mean, I like science. I like technology. I just like understanding in general. And I just think combining the two, I feel like it's a recipe to just find something.

[04:32] FREDRICA THOMPSON: Is there any specific innovation or at least a general area that you want to impact specifically?

[04:45] JERMAINE DEAN: Not necessarily. Right now, I feel like that's kind of a way how I'm finding myself. I feel like it's just more of a desire right now. And, like, you know. Cause I. Even with my current jobs that I've had, you know, they're not necessarily things I'd say I had an interest in going into them, like, working. I've worked at Evergreen, which is an Anheuser Busch subsidiary company where you make protein powder, where they made protein powder from spent grains. Then I currently work at a fertilizer company where they make a. Make a phosphate fertilizer that is only activated from roots, and it doesn't just get dissolved into the water. So that helps, like, water streams. Both things I never had any interest in whatsoever before I worked for the company. But after having the job, I've learned about, you know, what I'm doing, what it, like, what the important parts are, and then I've kind of developed this interest in, like, oh, okay, that, like, makes sense, you know, like, now. Now that I understand it, I could kind of play with that. I could kind of see, like, okay, this could have implications here, there's implications there if the goals are to do this and that. Now that I understand what is happening here, I have opinions on how achieving that goal could be improved. And there's ways that in my occupation, people have said, wow, like, there's people that's worked here for years with degrees, that haven't thought of things that you've thought of. So that kind of has shown me that, okay, I have this ability to just to kind of see things.

[06:36] FREDRICA THOMPSON: I would say the best way to, like, hone in on that is to get more exposure, like, just in life in general, because, like, being in your shell and not really, like, you don't know what you don't know. So if all you do is just what you're familiar with, you won't know, like, the issues that can be solved. And so, as somebody who likes to be a problem solver, you have to get out there and explore. And so just knowing what I know about you, I would say one way to achieve that goal is to get out there and, like, explore and get the pieces, get, you know, more of a broader view of the inner workings of the world. I know you mentioned, you said you wanted to talk about the economy, and, like, that's a problem, you know, right now that could be solved. And, like, even what you mentioned as far as, like, fertilizer and, like, adding new ways to have protein into foodstuffs, those. Those all tie into the economy and how it could help people on a mass scale, like, you know, maybe in countries where they don't have access, you know, to certain things because the soil's bad or whatever, those are things that, like, major ways that you can impact the world using science and just tight, you know, it all ties together is what I'm saying. And so, like, getting that holistic understanding can help you to drive down into what you choose to do to impact the world with science.

[08:38] JERMAINE DEAN: Yeah, I feel like. I feel like if I could best express how I feel about my future, I guess I feel like my future, like, the goals that I want to achieve, I feel like it will be done, like you said, as I step outside of my comfort zones. But it's almost like I don't have a specific vision because I feel like it will happen with what I experience, and it's going to be something that I can't predict.

[09:12] FREDRICA THOMPSON: So you just can't. You feel like it's like. That brings to mind, I just finished watching the first season of Dirk. Is it Dirk Bentley?

[09:28] JERMAINE DEAN: I don't know.

[09:29] FREDRICA THOMPSON: Holistic detective service. Well, anyway, so there's this tv show. It's something along those lines. I might be saying his name wrong, but it's basically like, it delves. It's kind of Sci-Fi and that it delves into the. It delves into the. What's the word I'm trying to look for? Paranormal. And, like, the holistic approach is driven by the fact that things just kind of fall into place. It's kind of fatalistic in that people are just going about just doing their thing, and it kind of just the solutions kind of fall into their lap, and somehow all these different people, their lives intertwine and they unwittingly, you know, come to a resolution on one problem. And I don't know, that just reminds me of kind of that storyline. I, in a way, kind of have that outlook in life, but at the same time, I very much so believe that we each have a purpose. Like, but I think that, like, our purpose definitely ties into, like, our inherent abilities. Like, yeah, not everybody is meant to be a circle, you know, not everybody is meant to be a square. And you can be a circle and say, hey, I want to be a square, and you could probably be a square, but you're probably, at the end of the day, better at just being a circle. You know what I'm saying? And, yeah, I don't know. I think, like, when you think of, like, the seven wonders of the world or, like, grand undertakings, like, I just, you know, took a trip to Barcelona to see the sagrada familia. When you're thinking of things like architecture on that scale, like, it's probably not orchestrated, you know, by somebody who just decided to do something. This is a person who is a master at their craft, and they just didn't. They didn't do it by watching a YouTube video, you know, or following some template like, this artist created. He had this vision over 150 years ago, and I don't. I think it's awesome in that. Yeah, it was his vision. His vision. But how many people contributed to this one goal? Like, and look at how masterful it can over the course of all these years. You know, this man is dead and gone now, and people are continuing. That's the type of legacy that, like, I want to leave. The type of. I don't know, in some way, like, it doesn't have to be necessarily on that grand a scale, but, like, I don't know, I don't think I'm. I don't think I define success by, like, my. With a monetary value. I defined it as doing the thing that I was proposed to do. And that's why, like, I don't know, I kind of, as your mom, want you to find value in that because I think too much of society nowadays is based on the material. Like, I don't know, like, I agree.

[13:17] JERMAINE DEAN: I see where you're going, and I think. I think that's already been achieved. You know, I feel like. I feel like what matters, like, most to me is my lasting impact in my relationships with those around me. Like, it's not about what someone is to me. It's not about what somebody does for me, but it's about the fact that everyone is a human being that has an effect on other human lives. And no matter how you slice anything, like, however I can add or be a value to anyone will translate to others who need it in ways that I can never really know or understand. And I think I see a lot of ways in how me being my best self around, you know, even people at work and at my jobs. Like, there's ways that people have told me that. I don't know, like, whatever. Like something about my vibe or something about the way that I help them to think about a situation or a problem has helped them in their personal lives in ways that, you know, I never even was thinking of doing. And I think just seeing the power of that, like, kind of shows me, like, that's. That's the importance. That's the important part. I could focus on fixing and worrying about any one thing, but it's the things that I'm not focused on that just happened that seemed to have more impact on others, if that makes sense.

[15:05] FREDRICA THOMPSON: No. Yeah. It's a. That exponential impact that you don't always see on the front end. And it can work. It can be positive or it can be negative. And I think that everything should be, you know, viewed in that manner. Like, yeah, you can have unintended consequences, be it, you know, for the positive or the negative. With each action, even seemingly innocuous actions, they have a ripple effect.

[15:42] JERMAINE DEAN: Yeah.

[15:43] FREDRICA THOMPSON: And all we can do is, you know, given the knowledge that we have, you know, take actions that hopefully will have more of a positive effect, I think I find it interesting that people. Maybe not everybody, but I think generally, while I think that probably most people are selfish in a lot of ways, I. Self included. When it gets down to it, I think a lot of people, like, there's a part. There's something in us to where we want to do good things for other people, too. Like, I don't know what you should. We're selfish, but I don't think it's cause we really want to be selfish. That's just kind of like a part of us that we can't help. But even at the same time, we really find joy in helping others. And I remember your grandmother was the first person to tell me that, like, at a time in my life where I was severely depressed and, like, couldn't find comfort in anything, you know, which is kind of the definition of depression. But I remember her telling me well, do something for somebody else. And she couldn't have been more right. Like, she couldn't have been more right. And I just. I don't know. Amazes me, like, how we're set up to be like that.

[17:13] JERMAINE DEAN: Yeah, I think. I think there's. Cause I think it's kind of like two processes. I think we have an instinct for both personal survival as well as community. And I think sometimes those instincts can become at odds. But overall, I think there's, like, this instinctual knowledge that having people to help you with your problems is a lot more effective than making sure that you just don't have problems. Because, you know, trying to not have problems is not necessarily sustainable or reliable because problems come unexpectedly. So if you at least know you have somebody or some group that you could kind of rely on to help you, that becomes not so daunting. But when you don't have that trust of somebody, then it can kind of feel more important to, you know, try to not have a problem which could kind of instinctually get you to, you know, be more selfish.

[18:27] FREDRICA THOMPSON: It also inhibits growth because problems, or every problem is opportunity for growth. And I don't think that really growth occurs without being problematic, you know?

[18:42] JERMAINE DEAN: Yeah, but, you know, there's like.

[18:45] FREDRICA THOMPSON: And I'm sorry. That's because you got something I learned is that, like, you come more aware of yourself when you're around other people. If all you're around is yourself all day long, you're gonna think you're the perfect person. Anything needs to change. It takes for somebody else to come along and be like, why are you doing that that way? What are you doing? And you're like, you don't see it. You know, that you're doing something that's, you know, maybe unacceptable. It takes somebody else to be the, you know, kind of like, show you those things sometimes.

[19:29] JERMAINE DEAN: And that reminds me of something I thought about that I just remembered because, I mean, I just, like, I just mentioned my work a couple of times, and I think that kind of reminds me that I feel like some of the best connections I've made have been with people that I've worked with. And something I'm kind of starting to realize is that I think, like a lot of people these days connect mostly with their coworkers because it's the people you spend the most of your actual time with these days. And, you know, sometimes I can make or break a person because sometimes you get good coworkers, sometimes you have not so good coworkers. Sometimes they're kind of toxic. And, you know, that's, you know, they might not be your home, they might not be where you think of yourself as spending, like, your quality time, but it's still time spent, and it's still time spent in that type of environment. And I don't. I don't think a lot of people necessarily think about that, like, and, like, what impact that has on their mental health. And I'm saying that to say, I think a lot of people can be isolated just because of the need to survive. Like, you go to work, you go home, you recover at home to go to work. And if you work with people that you don't, like, engage with or, like, have necessarily, like, healthy social relationships with, you're kind of isolated in a way. You're just to yourself. And I think it could be really easy to, you know, in that type of isolation, see yourself as I make more sense than those people. And now I've kind of become the person who knows the most, you know, I know better than everybody, essentially, because it's like, I can see how, you know, all these idiots are being idiots, you know?

[21:35] FREDRICA THOMPSON: And I think that ties into, like, diversity as well. Because even if you do interact with your coworkers, if they're all just like you, then you could still have that same thought process, but now it's exponential because instead of one of you thinking that way, now three of you are all confirming and reaffirming that, too, your siloed beliefs. And so I think that's why, like, a lot of jobs, like, push diversity and also, like, going back to what you were saying earlier as far as, like, having different perspectives when coming up with solutions to a problem, like, seeing it from different angles. That's also why diversity is important. Because each, you know, person brings a different background, a different, you know, way of life. And those impact the way that you look at a problem and therefore, the way that you go about solving that problem.

[22:40] JERMAINE DEAN: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Cause I think almost in a way, having too many people that think the same could also be toxic.

[22:48] FREDRICA THOMPSON: Because.

[22:50] JERMAINE DEAN: Because now you're kind of. You kind of get yourself. Cause I think this is another thing that happens to a lot of people. I mean, I've seen it happen to myself sometimes. But, like, when you're around people that where you have, like, your common thing that you, like, all do or feel the same way about, like, even going out drinking with friends or something, you know, like, that could just be, hey, we know your buddies going out drinking on Tuesdays, but that can easily become, okay. Every Tuesday, I have to go drinking with these people, because if I don't now, I'm like, I'm missing out. I'm being, you know, I'm being that guy that's not showing up. And then it's. It's almost like a little. It's like that little pull to do something that sometimes maybe, like, maybe you want to save some money on Tuesday. You know, maybe. Maybe it's not in the finances. Maybe we could do something else that isn't drinking. But for a lot of people, if they're, you know, if they're alcoholics, if they're stuck in their problems, you know, it might not. It might not be like a, hey, man, you have to drink. But at the same time, there's, like, that emotional subtext of, like, if you don't, I'm. You're gonna. Your buddies are gonna be feeling a little abandoned. They're gonna rag on you about that when you go back to work.

[24:11] FREDRICA THOMPSON: Interesting you should bring that up. Actually, that was my life for a while. But when I was about your age, I would say I started drinking late in life because I had you so young, so I had to be a little bit more responsible. But I would say when I was about 27, and I was, like, you know, very active in the military after 911, I didn't have mom responsibilities primarily. It was, like, more, you know, military stuff. And I started drinking at that age. And then, like, a lot of the things. The stress that I was undergoing, I didn't realize it at the time, but, you know, like most people, I saw drinking as a way to escape, and I started hanging with other people that drank. And it wasn't until, like, I handled it in a very bad way that I realized, hey, you know, maybe it's not a good idea if I do this all the time. Maybe this is not the best way to resolve these emotional problems. And so when I decided, you know, to quit drinking, my friends weren't on the same page. Like, I tried hanging with them and just not drinking, but they weren't okay with that because that was our friendship. Like, that was what defined our relationship, and they were not supportive, even though I had gone through this very tragic event, which was the catalyst, and, you know, the primary reason for me not wanting to drink, even though I had visual, like, physical damage as well as mental damage. And I explained to them, you know, why this was so important to me. It didn't matter. And it was very hard, but I realized I gotta. I can't be friends with these people anymore if this is what I truly want to commit to, because they. That's where they were, and they weren't leaving it alone. If I wanted to be around them, I had to do what they were doing. And that was a very hard lesson to learn because I had been lonely for so long. And then I found friendship through this vehicle. And it wasn't just giving up drinking that I had to do. I had to give up my sense of belonging, you know? And sometimes it's just life is about those tough decisions. You come to a crossroads where you have to envision where you want to be in life and whether what you're doing is going to get you there.

[27:18] JERMAINE DEAN: Yeah. Yeah. Cause I feel like. I feel like the. The big honey pot of, you know, of life. I mean, I feel like. I feel like life is kind of an amalgamation of addictions, in a way. Or at least habits, even addiction, I would say habits. And, you know, your friends become a reflection of your personal habits. So it can be really easy to just kind of like. It's almost like it's not even intentional. It's like there's, like, that something in you that there's something missing, and you. It's like you might find somebody or just be in close proximity to somebody who has that same similar something missing. And then, you know, you talk about it, you know, get a little connection over it. So now you've kind of, like, you know, you've connected with this person. You know, you kind of, like, are okay with them on a deeper level than, like, you know, somebody else you haven't had that type of talk with, because they. They know something that you have a common ground understanding of. And sometimes, if that other person has an unhealthy way of dealing with things, it can be very, extremely easy to fall right in line with their same unhealthy coping mechanisms.

[28:41] FREDRICA THOMPSON: And I think that's where, like, a lot of, like, inspirational speakers and gurus say that you should, like, find, like, whatever it is that you want to do or be or whatever characteristic you want to adopt. You should find people that have that trait and hang around them. But a part of me always felt like, in a way, is that, like, using people? I don't know. Like, why do we always felt like that? Seems kind of. I don't know. I don't want to say, like, you're using people. I guess that's what mentorship is all about. I guess it's the way in which you do it. Like, maybe if it's mutual, then it's okay. Like, maybe they have something that you desire. Maybe you have something that they desire. I don't know. There's a great. I just. I'm just saying I don't really know what I'm talking about.

[29:43] JERMAINE DEAN: I think doing anything the first time is always the hardest time because you don't know what you're doing. But one thing I find is that with building those connections with people, if you can just find a common ground, that's it. That's all you got to do. So, I mean, if somebody. If somebody. I don't know, like, let's say I want to learn how to run a business better. I mean, I have talked to people who own businesses, and I just simply express the interest, you know, hey, I know that you own this business, and I'm curious on if you have any tips. Just as somebody who doesn't know much about running the business, what could you talk to me about? And just, just saying that, laying that out, it's like the person could say no. They could, you know, be like, I.

[30:38] FREDRICA THOMPSON: Don'T got time for that.

[30:39] JERMAINE DEAN: But at the end of the day.

[30:41] FREDRICA THOMPSON: And that's how it should be. It shouldn't be like, me covertly trying to. Yeah. As long as you just let, hey, this is what I'm. Then. Yeah, I see what you're saying. That's very true. Like, if you come to a meeting of the minds and you just lay it out, hey, you know, this is what I'm. As long as you let it know that. Let them know this is what it is, then it's not using because you're being.

[31:06] JERMAINE DEAN: Yeah. Not sharing.

[31:07] FREDRICA THOMPSON: Yeah. You're being upfront about what it is, what type of, I guess, relationship you're looking for.

[31:18] JERMAINE DEAN: Yeah, I know. Think that's something that could be about, like, I don't know. I don't know if this is the right word. Insidious about, like, like, your perceptions of things. Like, a person, an individual's perceptions of things. Because, like, there's so many things that be completely innocent, but because you thought of it in a not innocent way, you might express that, you know, thought process in a not innocent way. And a person could pick up on that and then feel like. And they're kind of, you know, they're not being genuine about this. There's something off, you know, when it didn't have to be that way, maybe, you know, if you hadn't thought of it, you know, if it's like, it's like, if you didn't pre shame yourself when you were thinking of something, then it wouldn't have, like, manifested in you expressing it in a shameful way. I don't know.

[32:16] FREDRICA THOMPSON: I guess I get what you're saying. I get what you're saying. Like, basically, you're saying that even if someone can't see what you're thinking, it kind of somehow makes its way into the way that you relay the information.

[32:36] JERMAINE DEAN: Yeah. Even as your son, there's been some times that I've gotten in trouble for things simply because I just felt like I was in trouble, you know, like, I felt like, kind of like I was in trouble.

[32:47] FREDRICA THOMPSON: If you go into the store and you think that somebody thinks that you're stealing, so you act suspicious. Yeah.

[32:53] JERMAINE DEAN: Oh, I think I even saw a meme a few days ago, or someone's like, me, pretending. Walking out of Walmart, pretending I didn't steal anything, even though I didn't.

[33:01] FREDRICA THOMPSON: Right. Yeah, I've been in that situation. It's something I wanted to ask you. I can't think of what it was, I guess. Oh, I was gonna say, like, as far as, like, you mentioned that people, all they need is common ground. I think that, like, to that point, like, a shared purpose, a lot of times is what, like, binds people.

[33:38] JERMAINE DEAN: Yeah. That's the deepest bond.

[33:40] FREDRICA THOMPSON: Yeah. And perhaps that's why, depending on how much people value their career, sometimes you might find it easier to, like, relate to coworkers. I mean, if it's just, like, you know, somebody who's just punching in and out, you know, to get their 40 hours in, versus somebody who. This is their passion, you know, it's going to be a different type of.

[34:09] JERMAINE DEAN: Like, I'm providing atmosphere. I'm providing something meaningful to this team.

[34:15] FREDRICA THOMPSON: Yeah. And that's why I always push you to follow your passion, you know?

[34:21] JERMAINE DEAN: Oh, yeah.

[34:23] FREDRICA THOMPSON: So it doesn't feel like. Like you said, it can affect you mentally?

[34:28] JERMAINE DEAN: I think, in a way that I feel like I've kind of found a cheat code for myself in that, is that even though the thing I'm currently doing might not be what I would consider following my passion, I see the importance of, like, the smaller foundational skills. And no matter what I'm doing, there's always opportunities to be working on that. So, like, yes, this isn't necessarily the job that I see myself at for the rest of my life. This isn't the thing that I want to do with my life, but it.

[35:01] FREDRICA THOMPSON: Might just be a stepping stone.

[35:03] JERMAINE DEAN: It's a stepping stone. I'm learning things that I would have never been exposed to was I not in this very position. I'm, you know, I'm engaging with interactions that I wouldn't have engaged with had I said, nope, that's not the position I want to do, not doing that or, like, or even. Or even if I did, because, I mean, I think I still probably would have taken this job regardless, but if I came into work with the mindset of this isn't what I want to be doing, so I'm not, like, going to be mentally here.

[35:39] FREDRICA THOMPSON: There's still, I think that's kind of the same way that I went about, like, because, like you, I didn't know right away exactly what I wanted to do in life, you know, but I figured wherever I'm at, I'm sure there's something I'll draw from it, what I can, you know, I'll eat the meat and spit out the bones and build on, take the skills that I've learned and build upon those. And so that makes sense, like, what you're doing as far as, like, since you don't know exactly what you want to do. I mean, just go to work and get what you can out of it and see where you wind up. It'll. You'll arrive, like, either you'll get tired of doing what you're doing and move on, or you'll stay there and say, hey, this is all right with me, you know, but I think, you know, you should, like, have an eye to how you want to make that impact that you know, you want to make.

[36:44] JERMAINE DEAN: Yeah. Always keeping my eyes peeled.

[36:48] FREDRICA THOMPSON: You think that's a good place to close the conversation, or is there anything else you want to talk about real quick?

[36:57] JERMAINE DEAN: Just gonna throw it in there. You mentioned the economy earlier, and, yeah, I think I saw an article recently that said that there was something like $3.4 trillion of expected stolen wages from workers last year. And there's also just so happens to be $3.9 trillion in reported, you know, profits for a lot of companies, like, in America as a whole. And that, to me, just kind of spells out a lot of the problems with, like, this country's economy, kind of economical issues feel a lot more of a consequence of, you know, rich people wanting to keep their money and not really being held accountable to, like, hey, you know, there's kind of a situation where people can barely afford transportation to work these days, let alone a house to put over their heads, but the people that we're working for can afford that a million times overdose and not want for anything. Like, good job. You won the game of having all the money in the world. Can you help us out now?

[38:25] FREDRICA THOMPSON: I can tell we have spent a whole nother hour exactly talking about that.

[38:30] JERMAINE DEAN: That's something that whoever hears this can mull over in their own minds.

[38:36] FREDRICA THOMPSON: I would suggest. I don't know. There's a lot to be said. I just want to say. Okay, so I just finished reading this book called the Four Winds, and it kinda touches on that subject in a very, you know, specific way as far as, like, the dust bowl of the. What was it? The 1930s? It might have been.

[39:03] JERMAINE DEAN: Yeah.

[39:03] FREDRICA THOMPSON: Cause it was right after the Great Depression. Yeah, it was 1930s. And it. I guess that's what the fear is, is that the economy is headed back into a depression. Like, that's what people are afraid of. And it just. Yeah. Food for thought.

[39:20] JERMAINE DEAN: Yeah. I don't even think it's a matter of possibly being there. I think we're already there. And worse than. It's just. I don't think people, like, care to, like, revolt or something. You know, like. Like, panic. Like, we were just not panicking. You know? It's just because we're not.

[39:38] FREDRICA THOMPSON: It's not that bad. It's not that bad yet. That's why people aren't panicking. It hasn't hit enough people. It hasn't hit home. Like, people aren't starving.

[39:49] JERMAINE DEAN: Yeah.

[39:50] FREDRICA THOMPSON: And that's something to keep in perspective as well. Like, I mean, see it for what it is, but don't exaggerate it either.

[39:57] JERMAINE DEAN: Gotcha.

[39:58] FREDRICA THOMPSON: Well, thank you, son. Thank you for doing this with me today. I knew that you were the one person who I could have very easily an extensive conversation on pretty much any.

[40:12] JERMAINE DEAN: Topic, and you didn't let me down. Happy to be that person. And I love you for influencing me to be the person I am today.

[40:22] FREDRICA THOMPSON: Oh, thank you, son. I'm so proud to be your mom, and I think that you are an awesome human being, and I just love you so much and just want the best for you.

[40:34] JERMAINE DEAN: I love you, too.

[40:40] FREDRICA THOMPSON: All right.