Michael Drewry and Michael Whidden
Recorded
December 1, 2022
Archived
December 1, 2022
55:31 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
ddv002205
Description
One Small Step partners Michael Drewry (66) and Michael Whidden (51) discuss the urban/rural divide, feeling politically "homeless," and how to address the country's political polarization.Subject Log / Time Code
Both partners ask each other why they decided to participate in One Small Step.
Michael W. talks about why he changed careers from serving in the Navy and becoming an attorney to working as a wine distributor, and how he started writing after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Michael W. talks about his podcast that allows him to get outside his "Brooklyn bubble" and learn about people different from him.
Michael D. talks about his career as an attorney and farmer. Both partners share their opinions about lawyers and law school.
Michael D. talks about his work operating a "natural foods" farm on the land his family has farmed for generations.
Michael W. discusses how his personal political values have evolved from more liberal to more moderate
Michael D. talks about his upbringing in a racially diverse but divided rural area, and why he thinks economics needs to be discussed alongside racism.
Michael D. shares his experience running for local office as a Democrat in a Republican-dominated area.
Michael D. discusses his personal political values as a "pro-business Democrat."
Michael W. shares that he feels "politically homeless" and discusses the company he runs that brings high school students from New York City into rural areas to learn about farmers in order to hear their challenges and better understand where their food comes from.
Michael D. also feels like he doesn't have a political party. He states that people in rural America feel "forgotten," which often leads to extreme viewpoints
Michael W. agrees that years of pent-up frustration led to people storming the U.S. Capital
Michael D. shares how his upbringing included hunting to put food on the table, and how many farmers raise cattle and pigs to sell, but "eat from the woods." He states that his neighbors are arming themselves and he is concerned that many politicians are ignoring that.
Both partners discuss the importance not only of racial diversity but also economic diversity when it comes to social interactions.
Michael W. discusses the problem with the media primarily covering extreme viewpoints and not enough moderate voices
Michael D. wonders how we get off the "media merry-go-round" and remember that when push comes to shove, people want to help each other.
Michael W. states that it's up to all of us as individuals to use technology to remove ourselves from our own "cocoons" and change the divisive trajectory of the country.
Participants
- Michael Drewry
- Michael Whidden