Tangentially Speaking With Dr. Christopher Ryan

This one happened fast. A week ago, a publicist reached out to ask if I’d possibly be interested in helping to promote a documentary about a guy (a white guy) who thinks he’s supposed to bring together the native people of South and North America — whose combined teachings will then spread across the planet and save us all. My first impression was that this one sounded crazy, possibly racist, and not something I really want to spend time on. But the fact that the director had worked with Werner Herzog caught my attention. (I love me some Werner Herzog.) So I agreed to check out a screener, and last night, Anya and I sat down to watch at least the first few minutes — reluctantly. WTF?! We were hooked immediately, watched the whole thing in amazement, and this afternoon, less than 24 hours later, Gabe Polsky and I sat down to talk about his film. If it’s playing anywhere near you, trust me, go see it. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll get a little confused and grossed out … but you will not — guaranteed — get bo

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comIn this last episode of the series, Riley Morton and I talk about the period beginning when I chose to write about prehistoric human sexuality in graduate school through the writing and publishing of Sex at Dawn. It gets personal. I talk about how some of my own sexual experiences informed my thinking about how sexuality functioned in ways I hadn’t considered and I get into Cacilda’s crucial participation in the creation of our book.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comWords that mean both what they mean and the opposite of what they mean. Early days of learning Spanish and the psychological repercussions of not knowing exactly what you’re saying. When philosophy conflicts with reality. Open borders. “The past was horrible!”

Tom Murphy is a recovering astrophysicist. After spending the first part of his life learning the language of physics and mathematics, Tom started hearing a deeper message concerning our responsibility to the planet. 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.comThis one gets very personal. Riley and I talk about how my own erotic journey informed my doctoral research and what eventually became Sex at Dawn. We cover everything from my first heartbreak when my first girlfriend went off to college (and I stayed in high school) through grad school in San Francisco.Check out Riley’s new podcast, called Author’s Note

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comWhat the hell is going on? Why does the mainstream narrative seem to be increasingly unbelievable? Is decency outdated? Why were Paul Newman and Robert Redford important? Is the future female? Is competence necessary to run a country?

Tom is a fascinating man. He’s shot lasers at the moon and measured their reflection. After studying astrophysics at Cal Tech he taught at UCSD for years. But there came a point where his awareness of the destructiveness of the machine made it impossible to keep making adjustments to its smooth functioning. Unlike many people confronted with that contradiction, Tom walked away, choosing freedom of thought over financial stability and ego gratification. This is the first part of what I hope will be an on-going conversation. Part two is coming next week.You can read Tom’s thoughts at his newsletter, called Do the Math.Here’s a taste of our conversation. If you prefer to see/hear the whole thing, here’s a link to the full video.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. “Whiter Shade of Pale,” performed by Steve Winwood and Carlos Santana. Outro: “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton.If you buy from Amazon, my link is here. (You can click on it once, then bookmark that as your go-to Amazon link so it’ll

Lloyd is one of the most curious, delighted, resilient people I’ve ever known. In his ninety years, he’s been a father, husband, builder, publisher, traveler, writer, athlete and a slew of other things, including a very good friend to many, including Anya and me. 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.comHow was Charlie Kirk the same as the people who hated him most? What’s the dangerous appeal of simplicity and clarity in a complex world? Can/should we tolerate intolerance? The trick of valuing the things we DON’T have or need. All this and more!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comWhat happens to famous people who get lost in their own show and gradually start playing themselves in the movie of their lives?

Dan Blumstein and I explore the multifaceted nature of fear, its evolutionary significance, and its impact on both human and animal behavior. The conversation also delves into existential fears, the manipulation of fear by society, and the importance of understanding and managing fear in a complex world. Dan’s book is The Nature of Fear. 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

Alan Collinge is the founder of StudentLoanJustice.Org, author of The Student Loan Scam: The Most Oppressive Debt in U.S. History and How We Can Fight Back. 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

Are we (am I) “stuck in honoring the context of the social media platform,” that is podcasting? Is there a way not to be trapped in playing the commercial game? Did Joe and Duncan sell out, or did their platforms just capture them? I discuss some of the accusations leveled in “Comedy Jonestown” and Marc Maron’s recent appearance on Pod Save America. 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

Mike just finished his stint in the army and is celebrating by riding a bicycle from El Paso to Canada. He passed by Crestone recently, and we sat down to get to know each other. Pull up a chair and join us! 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.comMore blathering. This time, talking about: — Epstein and how fame/power/money distort one’s sense of the possible/permissible;— The joys of watching the Little League playoffs;— A friend’s hard fall. Here’s the link to give Charles some love.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comMy friend Riley Morton and I sat down for about six hours over two days and he picked my brain about who I am, who I’ve been, and the experiences and ideas that formed the foundation for what eventually became a book called Sex at Dawn. This is the second of a four-part series.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comIt’s the back to school episode! Do you feel like the year begins at the end of summer? Can anyone really be helped (or just supported in helping themselves)? A study showing how we find what we expect to find. Some thoughts on budgeting energy and attention and learning how to invest both more…

Kevin is my go-to guy when I have questions about AI, cutting edge technologies, and crypto currencies. But he’s not just some freakishly smart super-nerd; he thinks of these seemingly cut and dry issues with all the juiciness of mythology, Jungian archetypes, and a deep appreciation of world history. 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

Our uncle Dan was a huge influence on both of us, albeit in very different ways. For Dave, Dan was a surrogate father figure who helped guide him through adolescence. For me, Dan was more of a kindred spirit, and our friendship mostly happened in the last decade or so of his life. When we combine our memories, we get a more complete understanding of the man. (How did I not know he loved jazz?) 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 were camping at the Tom Thorn/Beth Williams Wildlife Habitat Management Area in southern Wyoming when we recorded this, yesterday. It’s raw. It’s real. Maybe you can hear the birds chirping. Anya and I recap the retreat and give some thoughts about being on the road. 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