For ad-free episodes of Hard Knocks, subscribe at Amandanox.substack.com, where you'll also find access to essays, bonus episodes, and more. Enjoy.

I'm Amanda Knox, and you're listening to Hard Knocks.

Music Amanda Knox, and you're listening to Hard Knox.

In this episode of Old School, I revisit my conversation with Megan Phelpsbroper, author of the book Unfollow, a journey from hatred to hope.

It's about her personal journey of leaving the Westboro Baptist Church after she came into conflict or confrontation, really, with people who she had

originally been taught to hate and to think badly upon. So I think her conversation, or like

her story is really interesting

examination of how a person can discover a more compassionate and less judgmental worldview

in their own life. It's very inspiring. Hope you enjoy.

I also wonder if part of this played into it, because, like, I remember when I first got out of prison and I was still sort of battling this false perception of me in the world.

Like, one of the things that I also felt that I wonder if you felt a similar

thing is when all of those things that you've relied on and the story that you've sort of,

that's been your guiding principle throughout your life has just disappeared or evaporated.

Like, do you even belong to people anymore?

And if you don't belong to people, or at least the people that you thought

you belonged to, who do you belong to and how do you find them? After that sort of stability that

you had relied on in your entire life evaporated, where did you even look for any kind of stability?

Literally anywhere I could find it. I mean,

it's really interesting looking back when you say, who do I belong to? Do I belong to anybody at all?

I mean, that was absolutely a feeling that I had. And because we had spent my whole life demonizing everybody outside of the church, I had no sense of even hope, really, or not much of one, that I could ever find anyone.

And I certainly didn't feel like, you know, I remember I left the church with my younger sister.

That actually was a really important thing to have. So I didn't feel, I mean, it's so funny.

...