Tangentially Speaking with Christopher Ryan

Tao Ruspoli is a dear friend of mine and one of the most creative, magical people I know. He makes films, music, photographs, festivals ... worlds. We had this conversation in the music studio (former garage) at his compound near Joshua Tree, CA. Tao's podcast is called Being in the World. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "A Thought is Just a Passing Train" by John Moreland; "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

Kraig Adams is a filmmaker, hiker and minimalist living in New York City. I like this dude. Kraig on Instagram and YouTube. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "Little Gardens," by Eric Vitoff; "Faith," by Joshua Redman; "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

Dr. Paul Saladino is the author of The Carnivore Code: Unlocking the Secrets to Optimal Health by Returning to Our Ancestral Diet. He has used the carnivore diet to "reverse autoimmunity, chronic inflammation and mental health issues in hundreds of patients, many of whom had been told their conditions were untreatable." In addition to his personal podcast, Fundamental Health, he can be found featured on numerous podcasts including The Minimalists, The Model Health Show, Bulletproof Radio, The Dr. Gundry Podcast, The Ben Greenfield Podcast, Dr. Mercola, Health Theory, Mark Bell’s Power Project, and many others. Paul on Twitter on Instagram. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. The article I discuss from The Washington Post is here. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "Fake Woke," by Tom MacDonald; "Smoke Alarm," by Carsie Blanton. Carsie's tour dates are here. 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

Dean Radin, PhD, is Chief Scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences and Associated Distinguished Professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies. He earned a BS in electrical engineering (magna cum laude, with honors in physics), and then an MS in electrical engineering and a PhD in psychology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Before joining the IONS research staff in 2001, Radin worked at AT&T Bell Labs, Princeton University, University of Edinburgh, and SRI International. He has given over 600 talks and interviews worldwide, and he is author or coauthor of over 300 scientific and popular articles, four dozen book chapters, two technical books, and four popular books translated into 15 foreign languages: The Conscious Universe (1997), Entangled Minds (2006), Supernormal (2013), and Real Magic (2018). Dr. Radin on Twitter. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "Living in a Dream," by Kbong; "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

A few amazing intro snips from listeners (including a guy up a tree rescuing a cat), some talk about the nature of "friendship" in Hollywood, and an in-depth rant about this article and the problem with contemporary tendencies to argue backwards from a desired belief, rather than forward from data. Music: "Beyond Belief," by Elvis Costello. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. 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

Here's the audio from this month's video ROMA that I make for supporters of the podcast. No video for you (!) but some extras, including talking about when/how to offer advice to friends, and how sometimes it's not about what the friend needs, it's what YOU need. Plus, what to do when you can't find your path, how to negotiate (or not) at the beginning of a relationship, and lots of other interesting issues. Music: "The End," by the Stereo MCs; "Daniela," by the John Butler Trio. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. 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

ERIC BERKOWITZ is a writer, lawyer, and journalist. He has a degree in print journalism from University of Southern California and has published in The Los Angeles Times and The Los Angeles Weekly, and for the Associated Press. He was an editor of the West Coast’s premier daily legal publication, The Los Angeles Daily Journal. He lives in San Francisco. He is the author of: The Boundaries of Desire: Bad Laws, Good Sex, and Changing Identities and Sex and Punishment: Four Thousand Years of Judging Desire. His new book, Dangerous Ideas: A Brief History of Censorship in the West, from the Ancients to Fake News is out now. Eric on Twitter. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "A Little Bit of Soul," by Kid Loco; "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

Jamie is an expert in peak performance and leadership, specializing in neuroanthropology––the intersection of culture, biology and psychology. He is the co-author of the global bestseller and Pulitzer Prize nominated Stealing Fire: How Silicon Valley, Navy SEALs and Maverick Scientists are Revolutionizing the Way We Live and Work and the founder of the Flow Genome Project, an international organization dedicated to the research and training of ultimate human performance. His new book, Recapture the Rapture: Rethinking God, Sex and Death in a World That's Lost Its Mind is now available. This episode is sponsored by Lelo, makers of the world's best erotic devices. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "There will Be a Light," by Blind Boys of Alabama; "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

"Tracy Clark-Flory grew up wedged between fizzy declarations of “girl power” and the sexualized mandates of pop culture. It was “broken glass ceilings” and Girls Gone Wild infomercials. With a vague aim toward sexual empowerment, she set out to become what men wanted—or, at least, understand it." Tracy's book, Want Me: A Sex Writer's Journey Into the Heart of Desire, is intimate, courageous, vulnerable, and beautifully written. Follow Tracy on Twitter. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "Dancing in the Moonlight," by King Harvest; "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

Steven Donziger is a renowned lawyer, writer, and public speaker with a focus on addressing human rights abuses and corporate malfeasance. He is part of the team working with indigenous and farmer communities in an area of the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest suffering from high cancer rates and other health ailments related to the massive oil pollution caused by Texaco, now owned by Chevron. Due to highly suspicious legal maneuvers on the part of Chevron and their lawyers, Steven has been under house arrest since August, 2019. Please support Steven's case here. Follow Steven on Twitter. 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

Robert Wright is an American journalist and author who writes about science, history, politics, and religion. He has written five books: Three Scientists and Their Gods: Looking for Meaning in an Age of Information (1988), The Moral Animal (1994), Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny (1999), The Evolution of God (2009), and Why Buddhism is True (2017). He is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Bloggingheads.tv and the founder and editor-in-chief of Meaningoflife.tv. (Conversation begins at 35 minutes in.) Bob on Twitter. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "Fair Game," by CSN; "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

Rafe Kelley is an unusual guy. As focused on ideas as he is on physical movement, Rafe has studied martial arts, philosophy, parkour, anthropology, gymnastics, and evolution. He comes from an unusual family background (to put it mildly), and now teaches natural movement to everyone from UFC fighters to retired grandmothers. Super interesting, introspective, honest guy. Rafe on Insta and Twitter. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range;"The Way You Move" by Outkast, "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 one of those "flush the pipes" ROMAs, where I talk about a slew of things that seemed unrelated until I started talking about them. By the end, I realized that they're all aspects of the same issue. Anyway, it goes from a defense of Dan Savage to the demise of organized religion to the necessary irrationality of group identity to institutional momentum to whether sex and gender are biological or merely cultural phenomena. This episode is sponsored by Lelo, creator of the world's most amazing pleasure machines. Use the code: CHRISRYAN at checkout to get 20% off full priced items through the end of March, 2021. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range;"It's Different for Girls," by Joe Jackson. 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

Jenny is a multi-disciplinary artist and writer based in Oakland, California, whose work generally involves acts of close observation, whether it's birdwatching, collecting screen shots, or trying to parse bizarre forms of e-commerce. Her work has been exhibited at many prestigious museums and galleries, and she was the artist in residence at the San Francisco dump! Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, New York Magazine, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Believer, The Paris Review, McSweeney's, SFMOMA's Open Space, The Creative Independent, and Sierra Magazine. Her NYT bestselling book, How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy, was published by Melville House in 2019. Jenny, on Twitter, and Instagram. Check out Trends with Benefits. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range;"Mouhamadou Bamba," by Orchestra Baobab; "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

Dr. Brian Hare is a core member of the Center of Cognitive Neuroscience, a Professor in Evolutionary Anthropology, and Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University. He received his PhD from Harvard University in 2004, and in 2005, following his work at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig was awarded the Sofia Kovalevskaja Award, Germany’s most prestigious award for scientist under 40. In 2007, Smithsonian Magazine named Hare one of the top 35 scientists under 36. Hare has published over 100 scientific papers and his research has received consistent national and international attention. In 2019, Hare and his research were featured in Steven Speilberg’s documentary series Why We Hate. Hare’s first book with co-author Vanessa Woods, The Genius of Dogs is a New York Times Bestseller. Brian's Twitter feed is here. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range;"Seamus," by Pink Floyd; "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

Roger Nygard is perhaps best known for his acclaimed documentary Trekkies, about the most obsessive fans in the Universe. Nygard’s previous documentary The Nature of Existence, addressed the subject of the world’s philosophies, religions, and belief systems. Nygard has also directed television series such as The Office and The Bernie Mac Show. His work as a film editor includes Grey’s Anatomy, The League, and Emmy-nominated episodes of Who Is America? and Veep and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Nygard has made several other award-winning films, including the car-salesman cult-film Suckers, and a profile of UFO fanatics Six Days in Roswell, and now the documentary The Truth About Marriage, accompanied by The Truth About Marriage book. Most recently he co-produced and edited The Comedy Store, a documentary about the comedians who came though this world-famous LA club, as well as editing scenes from Borat 2 (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm). Roger on Twitter and Instagram. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Check out Trends with Benefits. My chat with Anya Kaats is here, and my chat with Brett Newski is here. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range;"Life Upside Down," by Brett Newski; "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

Bryan Callen is a stand-up comedian, actor, writer, podcaster, and a friend of mine. Bryan, on Instagram and Twitter. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range;"Sometimes," by Daniel Lanois; "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

John Colapinto is a journalist, author and a staff writer at The New Yorker. In 2000, he wrote the New York Times bestseller As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl, which exposed the details of the David Reimer case, a boy who had undergone a sex change in infancy—a medical experiment long heralded as a success, but which was, in fact, a failure. In 2007, The New Yorker published John's fantastic story of his time in the Amazon with the Pirahã people and linguist Daniel Everett. John's latest book is This is the Voice. John's Twitter feed. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range,"Say Goodbye," by Eva Cassidy. 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

Over the past few years, people keep asking me if I'd read The Way of the Superior Man, by David Deida. Having long ago given up on being a superior man, I hadn't. Finally got around to reading it, and as you'll hear in this episode, I have some things to say about what I think Mr. Deida gets right and some equally passionate thoughts on what he gets very, very wrong. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. This episode is sponsored by Lelo, maker of the world's best sex toys. Use the code CHRISRYAN at checkout for 20% off all full-priced items. You can also enter a give-away this month. Details on my Instagram feed. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range,"She Drives Me Crazy," by The Fine Young Cannibals. 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

Niles is a documentary photographer, filmmaker, and essayist who's work focuses around themes of ageless wisdom for our modern times. Sharing insights in his films, spoken-word essays, podcast "An Infinite Path," alternate media appearances, street photography blog "Philosophical Photography," and in mentorships with others. He is the director of the feature film Transmutation, the documentary series Shamans of The Global Village, the shorts Balanced Opposites and Mystery of History, and a collection of short-form documentary narrations. (from nilesheckman.com) Find me on Instagram or Twitter. This episode is 100% commercial free. Sponsored by listeners. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range,"Slow Down," by The Grid; "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

What a woman! Deborah Copaken has slept in caves in Afghanistan, produced documentaries, raised three kids, and written best-selling books on the A train under the cold streets of Manhattan. She's smart, funny, tough, and honest. A perfect podcast guest, in other words. Deborah on Instagram and Twitter. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. This episode is sponsored by Lelo, maker of the world's finest sex toys. Use the code ChrisRyan at checkout to get 20% off any and all full-priced items. Enter this month's giveaway of a Soraya 2 (details on my Instagram feed). Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range,"Go with God (Topless Shoeshine)," by Joe Henry; "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

Welcome to another Ramblin' ROMA. Lots to cover in this one. I talk about: Current events (of course); How/why to compliment the women/men in your life; Why we need to think globally, but act locally; The life and death of my friend Diego Fresco; Why there's no shame in changing course in life; Some suggestions for taking advantage of COVID; Ideas for how to communicate with people enthralled with conspiracy theories; A new consulting service I'm offering, here; Some ideas for seminars I'm considering offering online. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range,"You Make Loving Fun," by Fleetwood Mac; "Waiting for My Real Life to Begin," by Colin Hay; "N Dey Say," by Nelly; "Playaz Club," by Rappin' 4-Tay. 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

Hear that? That's the sound of shit hitting the fan. In this episode (not for the faint of heart), I trace current events back to the marriage of modern advertising and politics in the 1980s and the fragmentation of media. We're in for a wild ride, folks. It's just beginning. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range,"American Kid," by Carsie Blanton; "If I had a Rocket Launcher," by Bruce Cockburn; "Blind Willie McTell," by Bob Dylan. 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

Eleanor Janega is a very smart, very funny medieval historian, specializing in late medieval sexuality, apocalyptic thought, propaganda, and the urban experience in general, and in central Europe more particularly. She teaches medieval and early modern history at a number of universities across London. She considers herself to be "a sad, sad medievalist," who hopes to "explain the medieval influences on the everyday world, and hopefully to get people through the quotidian grind of life in late stage capitalism." A worthy cause if ever there was one! Dr. Janega's site, Twitter feed, and Patreon account. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range,"The Summer of My Mind," by Highly Portable; "Star People 97," by George Michael. 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 this episode, I answer listener questions about whether to savor or defend a world that may be dying, how to be single but not alone, how to choose a safe place to make a stand, and my feelings about the holiday season. Check What Makes This Thing Great? Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. 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 this episode, I talk about how to think independently, why it's an important skill, and how to cultivate it -- all while dipping in and out of Paul Graham's essay, "How to Think for Yourself." Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range,"Disturbed," by Peter Gabriel; "Distinto," by Orishas; "Graceland at 4AM," by Bobby Weidman. 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 and Erin are two of my all-time favorite people. Whore Rapport is their podcast, where they explore and discuss a version of sexuality that is healthy, strong, and aware, by "delving into topics such as gender, orientation, intimacy, and power without pathologizing desire, victimizing femininity, or demonizing masculinity." Follow Whore Rapport on Instagram and Patreon. This episode sponsored by Lelo -- maker of the world's best sex toys. Use the code ChrisRyan for 20% off all full-priced items. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range,"Sexual Healing," by Ben Harper; "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

For my money, Rick Beato is the most knowledgeable, most enthusiastic, most open-hearted guide to the world of music. Dude can break a song down to its essence without draining its magic and beauty. Quite the opposite, in fact. After a few episodes of What Makes This Song Great?, you'll understand music -- and hear it -- in a whole new way. Here's a link to our previous conversation. Follow Rick on Instagram and Twitter. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range,"Pygmy Lullaby," by Jan Garbarek; "Don't Fear the Reaper," by Blue Oyster Cult. 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

Dr. Ted Achacoso attained a college degree in biology at the age of 18 and a doctor of medicine at the age of 22. A polymath who has professionally trained in interventional neuroradiology, pharmacology, neurology, medical informatics, neuro-interventional radiology interventional endocrinology, and nutritional medicine. Dr. Achacoso's current mission revolves around HOMe: "Health Optimization Medicine". Instead of waiting for a patient to develop a reason for medicine, Dr. Achacoso hopes to swing the pendulum towards optimizing health by detecting and correcting imbalances in your body (hormones, nutrients, toxins, etc). Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range, “Where Is the Love?,” by Black Eyed Peas; "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

"Hey Chris, this is Whitney. I love the podcast! You should come visit me in the pyramid next time you're in Montana." It had been four decades since I'd heard from Whitney Lake, who was a legend at Cazenovia High School in 1979-80. His reputation for brilliant disruption greeted me when I moved to town, halfway through senior year. He still excels at brilliant disruption. He lives in a pyramid he designed himself, is a multi-instrumentalist, designs and builds string instruments, wind turbines, and various other devices (patents pending). Dude is mad smart, funny, charming, and generous. And his BBQ sauce is amazing! Learn more about his work at AERI.net. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range, “Drinkee,” by Sofi Tukker. 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

Chad came to my attention via his always thoughtful, articulate posts on the Tangentially Speaking subReddit. I wanted to know the guy behind this intelligence. I'm really glad he agreed to come on the podcast. Chad's musings on Substack can be found here. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range, “You Haven't Done Nothing,” by Stevie Wonder. 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

Rutger Bregman is a historian and author. He has published five books on history, philosophy, and economics. His books Humankind (2020) and Utopia for Realists (2017) were both New York Times Bestsellers and have been translated into more than 40 languages. He also dared to speak truth to billionaires at Davos and provoked Tucker Carlson to melt down into a pool of frustration and rage. Rutger's site and Twitter feed. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range, “Son of a Preacher Man,” cover by Menno Roymans. 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

My fetid thoughts on the perfect sh*tstorm that is sweeping through America in 2020. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Music: “Morning in America,” by Durand Jones and the Indications. 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

After extensive adventures in Europe, Joey Rositano found himself on Jeju Island, South Korea, teaching English. During those initial years he heard about a mysterious practice of shamanism on the island that he decided to explore for himself. What he found was the fascinating world of mystical shrines, indomitable grandmas, and spirits among us. Rositano set out to record the voices and stories of the island in his documentary Spirits and the associated photobook. Joey's work, on Instagram. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range,"Big Sky Blues," by Phil Griffin. 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

Tim Cahill is one of the best writers of his generation. His work is funny, surprising, and deep. I first read him back in the 80s, when I was a young dirtbag hitchhiking to Alaska in search of adventure and a disgusting job. (Found both.) He's inspired generations of writers, travelers, and humorists. Here's a link to Tim's conversation with Kyle Thiermann. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range,"Side of the Road," by Jemma and the Good Thing. 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

Eric Weiner is a popular speaker and author of the New York Times bestseller The Geography of Bliss, Man Seeks God, The Geography of Genius and The Socrates Express. He is a former foreign correspondent for NPR and the author of numerous articles about travel and culture. He spent a decade overseas for NPR, based in New Delhi, Jerusalem and Tokyo. This episode is sponsored by Lelo. Find Eric on Instagram and Twitter. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range,"Big Jet Plane," written by Angus and Julia Stone, performed by Tuka. 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 respond to some of the feedback I've received in the past day or two in response to my posts on wearing masks. The article I mention in Nature is here. Music: "I Don't Think You Understand," by Goliath Flores. 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

Some thoughts on the difference between ignorance and stupidity, competing authority figures, the corruption of institutions, and the role of common sense in navigating all of the above. Music: "Watch it Fall," by Billy Strings. 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 commercial-free episode of What Makes This Book Great? includes listener responses to "Cat Person," and a reading of Ursula K. LeGuin's story, "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas," written in 1974. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. 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

Jake and Belinda are close friends of mine and have been married to each other since before either of them can remember. This is what happens when the three of us hang out WITHOUT wine. Belinda's show on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram. Jake on Twitter, Instagram. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "Making Do," by Lake Street Dive; "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

TK Coleman is a writer, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, teacher, and a few other things -- but that's enough to give you the idea. He's smart, funny, thoughtful, and overflowing with optimism. We talk about race, Muhammed Ali, and whether the free market can save us from the free market. Learn more about TK and what he's up to at fee.org/rev1. TK on Instagram and Twitter. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "Sometimes," by Daniel Lanois; "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

Miguel has become a good friend, due to his always-smart comments on many episodes of this podcast, his help with editing and graphic design, and his insights on everything from UFOs to Mexican culture and history (which can be found at The Daily Grail). I always enjoy our conversations, and am thrilled we finally got around to recording one! Miguel's graphic design site, and his Twitter. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "God's Child," by Selena and David Byrne; "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

Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it. Too bad it’s usually boring as sh*t. Enter Kyle Creek, aka "The Captain," the ultimate storyteller who brings history to life (and to your life) in this hilarious, intelligent, brutally honest, and crude compendium to events that happened before any of us were born. Find F*cking History on Amazon here, and The Captain on Twitter and Instagram. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "Contract on the World Love Jam," by Public Enemy; "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

Beth Ryan, my younger sister, has lived in a multitude of places and now resides in Los Angeles. She attended college in Boston and worked for two start-up computer companies. Wanting to get a better work-life balance, she took a year off and traveled around the world. This trip allowed her to find her passion and her voice. She now runs a non-profit called Stepping Forward LA (www.steppingforwardla.org) supporting foster youth who age out of the foster care system. She was my first "listener" and probably has more embarrassing stories of me than anyone else. Stepping Forward LA Instagram feed. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "I Wish," by Stevie Wonder; "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

Julie Carr married my dad, Frank Ryan in 1960, and had me two years later. My sister, Beth, was born four years after that. While raising us, she worked as a teacher in Middle and High Schools and in various administrative positions. She's smart, sweet, and a hell of a mom. She doesn't do social media, bless her heart, but you can leave her messages when you order swag from "the cottage," as many of you have done over the years -- much to her delight. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "All Along the Watchtower," by Bob Dylan; "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

Daoist Monk Yun Rou (his name means Soft Cloud) has been called the new Alan Watts for his Daoist teachings and the zen Gabriel Garcia-Marquez for his works of magical realism set in China. Born Arthur Rosenfeld in New York City, he received his academic education at Yale, Cornell, and the University of California. He was ordained a monk at the Chun Yang (Pure Yang) Daoist Temple in Guangzhou, China. His award-winning books, optioned for film in both Hollywood and Asia, bridge spirituality, philosophy, and history. From 2010 – 2013, he hosted the national public television show "Longevity Tai Chi with Arthur Rosenfeld." Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "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

Callie is the original bada$$. She spends months at a time alone in the wilderness with her goats, living off the land. She was among the last three people on this season's "Alone," on the History Channel, lasting 89 days before frostbite ender her run. (This episode is co-hosted with Anya Kaats, host of A Millennial's Guide to Saving the World.) Learn more about Callie at caprakhan.com // Instagram: caprakhan Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "Long Time Coming," by Leela James; "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

Andrew has been a pal since he showed up in Topanga in the same van I drive (2006 Dodge Sprinter), with a cool little mutt named Pele and a plan to drive from Alaska to Chile. He and his wife, Tiffany (and Pele) got as far as Costa Rica before things went sideways. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "I Got So High (That I Saw Jesus)," by Warren Delaney, "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

J.R. Martinez is a burn survivor (over 40% of his body) and Army veteran who, after many surgeries and months of healing, went on to win Dancing with the Stars, become a New York Times best-selling author, star in the television series All My Children and become a keynote speaker at events all over the world. Dude's on quite a ride. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Intro music: “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range; "Take a Ride" by The Vegabonds; 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've been falling behind on the ROMAs, so here's a mega-ROMA. Lotsa music, lotsa my dumb opinions on things like toilet paper, camp chairs, sexual communication, the Me Too movement, and how to have a good time on a sinking ship. Hope you find something of value in this tossed salad. Find me on Instagram or Twitter. Please consider supporting this podcast. This Amazon affiliate link kicks a few bucks back my way. Music: “Inner City Blues,” by Marvin Gaye; "Moment of Surrender," by Nick Mulvey; "I Don't Want to Be a Billionaire," by Theo Katzman; "Two Warm Hands," by Out of the Pine; "Mississippi," by Afroman. 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