Tangentially Speaking With Dr. Christopher Ryan

Manvir is an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of California, Davis. He holds a bachelor’s degree in human biology from Brown University and a Ph.D. from Harvard University. He has studied Indigenous psychedelics use in the Orinoco river basin of Colombia and, since 2014, has conducted ethnographic fieldwork with Mentawai communities on Siberut Island, Indonesia, focusing on shamanism and justice. His book is Shamanism: The Timeless Religion. 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 Czuleger is an author and geopolitical analyst who has lived, worked, and traveled through 47 countries including conflict zones like Iraq, Lebanon, and Somalia. His book You Are Not Here: Travels Through Countries That Don’t Exist covers a year of living in unrecognized countries to find out what a nation is in the first 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.comSome of the topics discussed include the fact that I was an illegal immigrant for years, some recent personal health issues, prepping for our trip to Montana, two spots that just opened up for women in the upcoming retreat, avoiding audience capture, seeking beauty in pain and destruction (the life and work of Sebastião Salgado).

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comLet’s get into it! Issues discussed include: Scott Galloway on the sickness of money, David Sedaris on the sickness of fame, Why some people sacrifice intimacy for attention, and Was it hard for me to transition out of my “adventure years” into “settling down?”

Everyone should have a friend like Josh. Solid dude who knows how things work on both sides of the law. 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.comOn principled thinking vs tactical thinking. Is AI coming to “save” us or “destroy” us? Is there a middle ground? Can it love us? Comfort us? Thinking of relationship issues in terms of new shoes. Break-in pains or wrong size pains?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comIn which I rip Fareed Zakaria a (new) new one, talk about the abject stupidity of the intelligensia, play a song sung by a bunch of cool alley cats, applaud a Scott Galloway rant on the hypocrisy of the American ruling class and ponder “Dover Beach,” a poem by Matthew Arnold.

David was raised in a conservative Christian reality that he eventually came to question, without questioning his love and respect for the people around him. How do we negotiate that kind of growth, where we step away from a shared reality without hurting the people we were sharing it with? That’s an eternal question of the highest order. 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

Jeff Mauer is the brains behind I Might Be Wrong, here on Substack. He was head writer for Last Week Tonight, with John Oliver and before that, wrote speeches at the EPA. He’s smart, funny, and thoughtful — and savvy enough to shut the fuck up when Chris Rock walks into the room. 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

When I first came across his Instagram account, I assumed he was a comedian of some sort, as he is so deft at taking the piss out of the New Age, Shamanic, Mother-Aya nonsense. Then I read his essay on Substack and realized that this dude is very, very smart and his humor — like all the best humor — is fueled by wisdom, compassion, disappointment, and rage. 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 Nadia have helped lead our retreats in Montana for the past few years. In this conversation, we talk about the different kinds of movement they’ve studied and teach and how — along with Cameron and Melayne — we try to create a place and time where people can get very real with themselves and each other. Learn more about the event here.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. “The Fade Out Line,” by Phoebe Killdeer and The Short Straws. Outro: “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton.My Amazon link is 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

Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. “Tear,” by Red Hot Chili Peppers. 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

Allene would never describe herself in such grand terms, but the fact is that she’s spent a long career in law working hard to defend and promote the fundamental decency that is at the heart of the American justice system — or should be. 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

Thank you Daniele Bolelli, Douglas Rushkoff, Jesse Damiani, Michael Scarmack, and many others for tuning into my live video with Daniel Pinchbeck! Join me for my next live video in the app. 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

Erin is closing in on her PhD in Depth Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute. We’ve been very close since 1/1/16 and she’s one of my all-time favorite people. If I get arrested and have one call, her phone might be ringing. She’ll be joining us at the Becoming Uncivilized event at the Budokon compound this summer. Consider joining us!Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. “Low Rider,” by War. Outro: “Smoke Alarm,” by Carsie Blanton.My Amazon link is 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

Thank you Nikita Petrov, Lacey Delayne, Dr Doug, Andrew Ramos, Eamon Cullen, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. 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, the first walking ROMA episode, I ramble: Our world is ruled by unloved men. What’s it mean to be “driven?” Would the spirit of the angry prepper be ok with what we’ve done with his cabin?

You know those kids — toddlers, even — where you see the fully-formed person in their eyes? That’s how this guy has always been for me. He was cracking me up and blowing my mind before he could pronounce my name. Smart, kind, and very wise for his age (or any age). 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.comMy friend Riley Morton is a film-maker, documentarian, world traveler, back country skier, deep thinker and all-around badass. He 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.

Does Trump have the wrong answers to the right questions? It feels like things are falling apart, but have they been falling apart for a long time? How long? When did this process of collapse begin? Why do intelligent people sometimes say incredibly stupid things? Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. Paid version: Outro: “Politic Amagni,” by Amadou and Miriam.Amazon link is 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