Tangentially Speaking with Christopher Ryan

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comShawn Kubli is an American immunologist and surfer, currently land-locked in Toronto, Ontario. Working in the biotech industry for Treadwell Therapeutics, his research group develops living drugs – cell therapy – that harness the intrinsic power of the immune system to fight cancer. Shawn’s academic background in evolutionary genetics and ecology shape …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comGender controversies at the Olympics. What is a woman? How pronoun preference is like religion and veganism. What is intimacy and how can we nurture it? What is valuable? What is beauty? How is attraction contextual?Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. “Take Me Down,” by Honey We Three. “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton. Paid version:…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comCameron Shayne is considered the father of the Mixed Movement Arts culture. Cameron pioneered the phrase and concept of Budokon Mixed Movement Arts in 2001 by combining the combat arts of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts together with Yoga, Crawling Patterns, Mobility, Calisthenics, and Cognitive Studies into a single black belt system known as Budokon (BU warrior, DO way, KON spirit). Based in Los Angeles, CA, during the 90's, Cameron established himself as one of the pioneering voices and transmitters of contemporary yoga, martial arts and the movement culture. Cameron and his wife Melayne are close friends of ours, having hosted our annual retreat for the past few years at their fantastic compound outside Whitefish, Montana.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comA bit about how 2024 is like 1934 and the appeal of MAGA is like the appeal of Socialism then. Age is sedimentary, not linear. And what to do when heart, spirit, and animal desire don’t align? I love him/her, but I’m not that attracted. How to learn and grow without leaving a trail of destruction behind us.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin a…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comAbbey and Liam have been married for over a decade, and have been exploring an open relationship for most of that time. They are unusually thoughtful, open, and articulate about the joys, challenges, and surprises they've encountered along the way. You can learn more about them here.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. Paid version: …

Mark is a good dude who has lived a good life. You can see it in his face. Not a life without challenge or disappointment, but a life of meaning and purpose and love and kindness. (How could a “good life” ever be free of challenge and disappointment?) I really enjoy hanging out with this guy. We talk travel, music, film, theater, Manhattan in the 80s and 90s, Crestone in the 2000s…. Life, death — all the juicy stuff.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. “Brazil,”by Django Reinhardt; Outro: “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

In an age where we’re told to always strive for efficiency, monetization, and TOTAL OPTIMIZATION, doing something purely for the fuck of it becomes a subversive, revolutionary act. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Paleontologist-Futurist Michael Garfield is devoted to helping navigate our age of accelerating weirdness and helping cultivate the curiosity and play we'll need to thrive in it. As host and producer of Future Fossils Podcast, Michael refuses to be enslaved by a single perspective, creative medium, or intellectual community, walking through the walls between academia and festival culture, theory and practice — speaking and performing everywhere from Moogfest to Burning Man, SXSW to Boom Festival, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia to Long Now's Ignite Talks to The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. Transition music: “Olympus Mons,” by Michael Garfield. Outro: “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Mark Nelson is an American ecologist and author based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His research focuses on closed ecological system research, ecological engineering, restoration of damaged ecosystems, and wastewater recycling. Nelson was one of the eight original crew members of Biosphere 2 in 1991. Marks books can be found here and here.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; “If I had a Million Dollars,” by Barenaked Ladies; Outro: “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

I met this incredible woman over a decade ago (ep 87), when she was in a very difficult spot, suffering from constant pain, unable to move or care for herself. She was preparing to die. In the years since, I’ve seen the light in her grow stronger and stronger. She’s recovered from severe scleroderma, written a book about her journey, been profiled on a Netflix series, featured in Gabor Maté's NYT bestseller The Myth of Normal, and continuously explored her inner world with the help of sacred plants (ayahuasca) and other modalities. Her initiation into the world of healing by way of her own near death experience is as authentically “shamanic” as anything I’m aware of in the modern world.You can learn more about the retreat she’s leading in Costa Rica here.This video of Mee Ok and Gabor Mate will give you a sense of the incredible journey my friend is taking. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comWhat values underlie this podcast? Russell Brand in search of universal human values. How not to be a fool for love (or for Andrew Tate). Looking back at life — both the parts lived and unlived — from here. Jimmy Carter and the value of some types of shame. How Ozembic symbolizes American life in 2024. Artificial cures for artificial problems and the su…

Bill first picked up a camera in 1965, at age 20, little knowing that photography would become his profession. Since then camera work has taken him to India, China, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Alaska, Egypt, Ireland, Bhutan, Zambia, Chilean Patagonia and the American West. Bill’s images have appeared in magazines, books, calendars, newspapers, catalogs, annual reports. In 1995 Bill moved to the San Luis Valley, took up residence in a travel trailer near Crestone, Colorado and started building a strawbale house.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. Outro: “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Neil Strauss is a wildly successful writer and podcaster. He’s written for Rolling Stone, The New York Times, and just about every other high-profile platform you can think of. His best-selling books include The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists (2012), Everyone Loves You When You're Dead: Journeys Into Fame and Madness (2011), and The Truth: An Uncomfortable Book About Relationships (2015). In January, 2023, The Creative Act: A Way of Being, a book Strauss wrote with music producer Rick Rubin. In 2019, Strauss launched To Live and Die in LA., a true crime podcast following the death of Adea Shabani. It hit No. 1 on the iTunes podcasts, and was in the top 10 for four months. His latest project is To Die For, which explores the world of Russian sex espionage.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. Outro: “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton.Join us in Montana next month at the Budokon/Sex at Dawn retreat. Pick up some of that whipped tallow skin balm here. (Use code: CHRIS15 for discount.) And check out those Vivobarefoot shoes. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comA “director’s cut” of one of my most popular posts on Substack: What We Fall in When We Fall in Love. The Raymond Carver story I mention is in this collection. Music (paid version): “Trampoline,” by Joe Henry.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comCover versions of well-known songs that illuminate some quality in the original that was dormant, waiting to emerge, like a cicada.

As a follow-up to my recent post about some things ethical non-monogamy is not, I thought it might be fun to consider some things ENM can be, in the best of circumstances. In light of the volume and vehemence of the feedback my first post received, it seems this is an issue folks are interested in, so maybe this will be an on-going series. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Trying this new feature on Substack where I read a post and add some off the cuff commentary. Sort of a mini-ROMA, centered around a written piece. Let me know what you think. Is this a good format? Should I do more? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

A few months ago, someone mentioned that a dude had walked to Crestone from Colorado Springs — which is a SERIOUS walk over some very rugged mountains — and that he was some kind of Sasquatch expert. I was intrigued, but I have to admit that I assumed the guy was a wild-eyed wayward soul who’d had a bit too much psilocybin and not enough common sense. Then I met Mateo at a party and after chatting with this totally chill, reasonable, obviously smart dude for a while, I realized … wait a minute, THIS is the Squatch dude? So I’d like to introduce you to yet another fascinating Crestonian. You can learn more about Mateo and his exploits at modernexplorer.me.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. “Forest,” by David Beckingham; Outro: “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Following the birth of their daughter, Jack McClure and his wife Alana decided to continue their life of adventure. They set their sights on thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from Canada to Mexico as a family, beginning when their daughter was 9 months old. What followed was a 1,500 mile odyssey filled not only with primeval forests and sweeping mountain vistas but also countless lullabies, hundreds of diaper changes and innumerable tears shed.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. “A Way Back Home,” by Give Me Motion; Outro: “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.com* Can/should we slow down the development of AI?* Frans de Waal: “Because the role of sex in society is such a loaded and controversial issue, scientists have tended to downplay this side of bonobo behavior…. Sexual encounters of the bonobo kind are strikingly casual, almost more affectionate than erotic.”* Andrew…

Adam’s name comes up a lot in Crestone. He and his family have been around for a long time, he runs a local business, currently serves on the Town Board of Trustees, is running for County Commissioner, and seems to be admired and respected by pretty much everyone. This is my favorite kind of podcast to bring you, where I’m getting to know the guest at the same time you are. Among lots of other stuff, we talk about:* what it was like to be a quirky, sensitive kid in Texas (not great),* who then moved suddenly to Madrid, Spain (much better);* his complex relationship with his father and masculinity;* the challenges of trying to help kids navigate the world as it is now;* the experience of spending months on horseback, riding through backcountry reservation land. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Michael Henry Dunn is a guy who has been around the block a few times. He’s a classically trained actor, having studied at Juilliard. He’s a musician and an activist. He’s an author, journalist, Substacker and scholar who has delved deeply into the controversies around Shakespeare’s true identity, the Code of Chivalry and global human rights. And he’s a really nice guy who happens to live in this funky little town in the Colorado high desert. Go figure.Information about the retreat in Montana is here.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. Outro: “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

We’ve all heard the adage: “Think globally, act locally.” Liza embodies that perspective. She came to the San Luis valley about 30 years ago to work on a buffalo ranch with her husband. Since then, she’s lived a lot of life in this valley. Raising kids, horses, dogs, working as school board president and County Commissioner, and founding and running the San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition are just a few of the things that have kept her busy over the years. Everyone around here knows her and admires her energy, intelligence, and positive approach to things. I’m really glad to be able to share this wonderful woman with you. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Trained as a neuroscientist, Elliot is the Principle Scientist at a nonprofit called The Good Food Institute, which is focused on building an innovation ecosystem that will accelerate the development of alternatives to conventional/industrialized production of meat, eggs, and dairy. They believe that we can avoid or mitigate the many negative externalities of industrial meat production by instead making meat from plants or growing it directly from animal cells. I’ve got my doubts, but Elliot makes a convincing case. See what you think.Here’s a link to the Budokon retreat info, if you might want to join us in June.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. Outro: “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

CHARLES DUHIGG is a Pulitzer prize-winning reporter and the author of The Power of Habit, which spent over three years on New York Times bestseller lists. His second book, Smarter Faster Better, was also a New York Times bestseller.His latest book, Supercommunicators, is out now.Charles currently writes for The New Yorker magazine.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. “Breaking Us in Two,” by Joe Jackson; Outro: “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton.For those of you who prefer video: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.com“Jordi” has one of the most unusual life stories I’ve ever come across — built around a man’s very pure, very unusual love. We talk about being a child of mixed cultures (Spanish and Basque, in his case). What makes someone a “parent” and what constitutes “a family?”

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comWes Atkinson grew up kinda wild and largely unsupervised in a very remote part of Colorado. Nature was his sanctuary. As an adult, Wes ran a thriving outfitting business where he guided hunters all over the world. But then a quiet voice suggested it might be time to rethink his life, and he realized that indeed, something important — something sacred — …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comAmanda Knox is an exoneree, journalist, public speaker, and author of the New York Times best-selling memoir, Waiting to Be Heard. She spent nearly four years in an Italian prison and eight years on trial for a murder she didn’t commit.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comIan is a writer, podcaster (The Mythic Masculine), and filmmaker who is especially interested in exploring a regenerative future and how to get there. We talk primarily about his recent film, “The Village of Lovers.”

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comA few of the issues I discuss in this one:Snoring and sleep apnea.Is doubt an expression of humility? Are all emotions, at base, an expression of love?Is deepfake porn an invasion of privacy or a protection of privacy?My picks for the NFL playoffs.Music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; “Get Together,” by the Youngbloods; Remix of “Who’ll St…

Teacher, seeker, musician, traveler, visionary, professor, husband, father, scholar…. Lama Thupten is all these and more. I was lucky enough to hang out with him a bit recently here in Crestone, where he was visiting the Yeshe Khorlo retreat center. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Nick has spent a good chunk of his adult life on an island off the coast of Antarctica at McMurdo Station. He’s a cool guy who is living an extraordinary life in a humble, low-key way. I’m really glad to have met him and, with any luck, we’ll be neighbors before too long! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Kyle Thiermann first made headlines as a teenager when he released a YouTube video detailing how Bank of America was one of the largest financiers of dirty energy worldwide. This video garnered international media attention, landed him on the stage at TEDx, and caused people to move significant sums of money out of B of A and into local banks around the country.Through his 20s, Thiermann worked at Discovery Digital Networks as a writer and on-camera host. His work has appeared in Men’s Health Magazine, SURFER Magazine, and Outside Magazine.A few years ago, Kyle and I came up with an idea for making environmental activism fun (and funny), and thus was born The Motherfucker Awards, a red-carpet event where the worst polluters were recognized for their outstanding contributions to fucking Mother Nature.Thiermann also worked as Head of Editorial and Senior Copywriter at MUD\WTR, a brand known for its irreverent marketing and distinct tone. While there, he launched Trends w/ Benefits, a storytelling platform that focused on psychedelics and mental health.As a Patagonia-sponsored surfer he continues to use his travel opportunities to cover environmental issues around the world, interviewing all sorts of folks on his podcast The Kyle Thiermann Show.Join his Substack newsletter here:Here’s a link to the story Kyle tells about Derek Sivers riding his bike with just a little less effort, and a lot more enjoyment.This will give you some sense of my own haircut debacle:The vid, if you wanna see Kyle’s haircut: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comAmerican Beauty, Love Has Won, Down By Law, Stranger Than Paradise, and The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. “Narrative Song,” from Lowland Tribes of Ecuador, recorded by David Blair Stiffler; “Harlem 2 Bole,” from Bole 2 Harlem; Outro: “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comYou know this guy. Big wave surfer, environmental activist, co-creator of the Motherfucker Awards, world traveler, standup comic, beet taco pusher, driveway squatter and as close to a son as I’ll ever get … the one and only Kyle Barrett Thiermann. This is the first part of a two-part conversation recorded a few weeks ago. We were so much younger then…. …

Matt Evers and Pete Van Horn both moved to Crestone in pursuit of freedom, independence, and community. If those concepts strike you as being in opposition to each other, you may learn something important in this conversation. We talk about the challenges and joys of building your own house, what DIY DOESN’T mean, the tension between being self-reliant and being a good neighbor, the unique qualities of life in Crestone, and a slew of other things. These are two solid dudes who overcame the doubt and fear and built themselves a comfortable, safe home without getting dragged into the rat race of endless debt and needless extravagance. In 2023, this is a rare manifestation of wisdom. Check out their YouTube channel: Owner Builders Unite.Show Notes:Music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton.30% off all merch on my site through the end of the year.Check out Jake’s mom’s tallow balm at thebeekeepersgranddaughter.com. Use the code HOLIDAY15 to get 15% off til the end of the year.Here’s a funky drone video of Pete’s place. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comI talk about some fascinating documentaries I’ve seen lately:* Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (Amazon Prime)* 28 Up (Amazon Prime)* Love Has Won (HBO/Max)How/when/why do our “gods” become our human sacrifices?When does a potential mass murderer qualify as an unknown, solitary hero?How should we handle a nice guy who takes some mushrooms,…

Daniele is one of the deepest, kindest, most thoughtful guys around. He’s an author of several books, a university professor, and the host of the History on Fire podcast, where he unpacks historical figures and events, both known and obscure, with his unique insight and narrative skills. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Anya has produced and hosted her podcast for precisely five years, and she recently decided that was enough. We talk about the experience of letting go of a project that has brought so many wonderful people, so much intrigue and intelligence into one’s life. We talk about the natural trajectory from big ideas to small gestures, from global thinking to local acting. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comIn this episode, I chat with a guy we’re calling “Aaron,” about some of the challenges of life and how I’ve approached them, for better or worse. He’s a thoughtful dude, and I really enjoyed our conversation.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comIf you saw your friend standing naked on a spire, would you cheer or boo? Have you held bear shit in your hands? How can we measure injustice? Is there any way to stop the wheels of cruelty from turning, generation after generation? Why weren’t we invited to Hanna’s sex party? (Some of these are only addressed in the bonus version.)

Simon is a Canadian comic with a particular talent for going places that scare the shit out of most of us. He looks into the shadows and finds the humor. From my perspective, that’s the kind of mind that deserves our respect, admiration, and gratitude. Sometimes, laughter is the only antidote to despair, so I consider Simon to be something like a hospice nurse. However I go out, I hope I manage to choke out a chuckle at the beautiful absurdity of it all.Simon in Insta. Simon’s YouTube.Here’s that Amazon link I keep forgetting to mention. Hope your fall is going well so far.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. Outro: “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Joshua Wright grew up living in Africa and Asia. While still a kid, he became an environmentalist watching the timber industry clear-cut around his family home in Washington State. Recognizing the urgency of what was happening around him, he dropped out of high school at 14 years old to make Eden's Last Chance. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comCameron holds black belts in three martial arts, is the founder of Budokon Mixed Movement Arts and has worked with the Bellator world champion Lovato Jr. fight team as well as Charlie Sheen, Sean Penn, Slash, Courtney Cox, Rene Russo, Meg Ryan and Jennifer Aniston. He's also a funny, smart, deeply sincere guy.

In this third and final (for now) episode with “Nathan,” we talk mainly about the creative process and how to pursue “success” without being ensnared in ego and shallow motivations. What incentives to creativity are legitimate, and not just chasing after fame, fortune, power or immortality? What might a truly “optimized” life look like? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comMichael just got back from riding his bike from Alaska to Chile. A few years ago, he rode all over China, Mongolia, Burma, Thailand, and Malaysia, to Singapore. Dude has lived!

Hamilton Morris is an American journalist, documentarian, and scientific researcher. He is the creator and director of the television series Hamilton's Pharmacopeia, in which he investigates the chemistry, history, and cultural impact of various psychoactive drugs. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Moby and Lindsay are pals, neighbors, and amateur tick-removal specialists. We talk about their new podcast, the many uses of dental floss, the mysterious birthday gift I gave Moby years ago and it’s unexpected repercussions, and the lures and dangers of fame and fortune. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Peter Anderson is an author, traveler, observer, story-teller, and a million other things. He’s the whole package. His books include, Heading Home: Field Notes (Conundrum Press), a collection of short essays, flash prose, and prose poems, which Colorado novelist Laura Pritchett describes as offering "gorgeous meditations on traveling, the natural world, small towns, parenting, and...the cultural eccentricities of of the modern day west." His collection of essays, First Church of the Higher Elevations (Conundrum Press) explores the ecology of story, spirituality, and landscape. His poems have appeared in various anthologies including New Poets of the American West (Many Voices Press) and Storied Wheels (Somos Publications). His latest project, an anthology of placed-based writings called Reading Colorado: A Literary Road Guide, came out from Bower House Books in May of 2023. Apply for the Sex at Dawn Budokon retreat here. The Byrna anti-bear weapon is here.The article about “Border Country” is here.My conversation with Lodhy is here.You can read about the Berrigan brothers here.You can redirect a few crumbs from Jeff Bezos’s pocket to support this podcast by using this link when you shop on Amazon.Music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; “Border Country,” by The Paper Stars; “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton.R.I.P. Sinead. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

This is a follow-up to ROMA 66, in which I further discuss the dangers of ignoring or silencing people we disagree with. Here’s the profile of Andrew Tate I mention. Here’s “Fix Your Mind,” the video that distills some of his teaching. Here are my notes on the cycle I mention.* With the intention of making the world better, we deny obvious reality (race doesn’t exist, men and women are the same, trans women are just like biological women, it’s not too late to stop climate change, we can buy our way out of global collapse, etc.);* We silence and shame anyone who openly questions these narratives: fire professors who say there may be innate differences in math skills between boys and girls (Larry Summers), cancel culture, deplatforming, etc.* Control acceptable language: force us to use weird pronouns and respect whatever identity people claim, Latinx, “non-men,” “people with vaginas,” n-word, c-word, etc.* This creates a huge market for anyone willing to speak these forbidden truths. But it’s very risky. So who steps up?* The already wealthy (invulnerable) Berlusconi, Trump, Murdoch. Those with nothing to lose (Fuck the Police), punk, early rock. Podcasters/comics (insulated from economic impact). The wounded (Tate: “I get bored too fast. I need to be distracted. I need to be stressed at all times. I need to be entertained.”)Note: I was wrong in claiming that this quote was from a Founding Father of the United States: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” This was actually written by Evelyn Beatrice Hall, who wrote under the pseudonym S. G. Tallentyre, in her biography of Voltaire, The Friends of Voltaire. (1906) This was her summary of Voltaire’s passion for free speech. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe