This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comAccents. The World Cup. How soccer strategies reflect on contemporary American politics. Marvin Harris, Cannibals and Kings, and the Big Man theory of leadership.

Jan is a historian specializing in telling the stories of the many extraordinary women of the Old West — many of them madams and prostitutes. She’s written many books, including: Brothels, Bordellos & Bad Girls: Prostitution in Colorado, 1860-1930, Red Light Women of the Rocky Mountains, and Extraordinary Women of the Rocky Mountain West. 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 love talking with Kevin about cutting-edge technology. He’s up to his neck in the stuff. He doesn’t just dabble in it. He’s practically submerged in it. I hope you enjoy this conversation with someone who knows what’s happening, because he’s one of the people making it happen. If you appreciate commercial-free, bullshit-free conversations like this one, please consider helping to support the podcast. 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 the New York Times bestselling author of The God Test: Artificial Intelligence and Our Coming Cosmic Reckoning. His previous books include: The Evolution of God (a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize), Nonzero, The Moral Animal, Three Scientists and their Gods (a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award), and Why Buddhism Is True. He is the cofounder and editor-in-chief of the widely respected Bloggingheads.tv and MeaningofLife.tv. He has written for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Time, Slate, and The New Republic. He has taught at the University of Pennsylvania and at Princeton University, where he also created the popular online course “Buddhism and Modern Psychology.” He is currently Visiting Professor of Science and Religion at Union Theological Seminary in New York. Tangentially Speaking with Chris Ryan is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.This has been another commercial-free episode, financed by folks who toss a few bucks into the hat every month here. If you don’t want to subscribe, but would like to support this podcast with a one-time donation, please click here.Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. Outro: “Losing My Religion,” by REM.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 always work.)Buy some merch from my mom here.Grab a copy of my books: Sex at Dawn, Civilized to Death, Tangentially Reading, Talking Drugs, and Talking Sex here.Find other Tangentialistas around the world!Instructions for getting the paid RSS feed in apps 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

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.comWould it be such a bad thing if Iran nuked up? Robert Thurman lived a great life. Fukuyama on our innate lack of gratitude for liberal democracy. Some great writing advice. A beautiful song in mystery languages.

Dadaonysus is an artist, scientist, gamer, adventurer, deep-thinker. Our conversation covers a lot of ground, from a difficult childhood to homelessness to being neurodivergent to prehistory. I like this guy, and think you will, too. 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.comIs Graham Platner the Trump of the left? Could there even be a Trump of the left? Are the pitchforks about to come out? Here’s the article about the pitchforks that I mention. And this is another essay well worth reading, about how the super-rich are building bunkers to hide in when shit gets real.George Orwell, writing in 1943:

Mehran Seyed Emami is an Iranian therapist, podcaster, and founder of Ravannama (Persian Psychedelic Society), a community focused on psychedelic education, awareness, and harm reduction for Farsi speakers around the world. 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 Bejinha, Midwest Timecapsules, John Climenhaga, david price, Ryan Hichens, and many others for tuning into this live video with Anya Kaats! Join us for our next live video in the app. Check out the documentary I mention. It’s awesome. 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 are some of the potential unintended positive consequences of this shitstorm we’re all living through in 2026? Is there a way to question the US/Israel relationship without being accused of anti-semitism?