Tangentially Speaking with Christopher Ryan

Latest Episodes:

683 - Before the Dawn, with Riley Morton (Part 4 of 4) Oct 30, 2025

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This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.com

In 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.

682 - ROMA 96 Oct 26, 2025

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This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.com

Words 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!”

681 - Tom Murphy (Part II) Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

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

680 - Before the Dawn (Part III of IV) Oct 13, 2025

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This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.com

This 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

679 - ROMA 95 Oct 04, 2025

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This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.com

What 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 Is decency outdated?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?

678 - Tom Murphy (Recovering Astrophysicist) Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

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 always work.)

Buy some merch from my mom here.

Find other Tangentialistas 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

677 - Lloyd Kahn, in Crestone Sep 24, 2025

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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

676 - ROMA 94 Sep 18, 2025

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This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.com

How 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!

675 - ROMA 93 Sep 09, 2025

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This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit chrisryan.substack.com

What happens to famous people who get lost in their own show and gradually start playing themselves in the movie of their lives?

674 - Dan Blumstein (Author: The Nature of Fear) Sep 01, 2025

Show notes

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

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