Chris, you often talk about how stories shape reality—how dominant narratives influence how people think, act, and even justify injustice. But when it comes to language causing harm, you suddenly act like words are just empty sounds. If stories can shape reality in profound ways, why wouldn’t harmful speech—propaganda, hate speech, verbal abuse—do real damage? You’re right that free speech matters, but denying the power of words to harm (just like they can inspire or heal) feels like an intentional blind spot.
Chris, You are not full of shit. You are just saying what people are thinking about this Woke agenda. Great take on filling the open space left by unreality. I am finding it easy to agree with the Questions, but not so much with the Answers Trump is proposing. This gets me into trouble with my blue friends and brings me closer to my red friends and family.
Curious what your thoughts are on these new reality investigators like Ian Carroll who Rogan just had on his show? I find them interesting, but is their information accurate.
Thank you for highlighting all of the lies the Democrats have been feeding the American people (as well as the rest of the world) on these important issues that you mentioned. I agree with you, I may not agree or even fully understand Trump's methods, but ultimately they are addressing these issues rather than lying about them. I am most excited about Trump's cabinet, specifically RFK in terms of what can be achieved in the US (with global reverberations) over the next four years in the industries that affect us all - food and healthcare. I'm also watching with glee the corruption DOGE have been digging up (today's one gave me a chuckle - $600,000 grant to study “menstrual cycles in transgender men”!).
Find the idea of reality fighting back very interesting to think about. I think reality doesn't fight back by reaction, but by emerging as present and unmoving all along. Ideologies born out of a reaction to the recognition of culture being steered by group think and marketing are no more real than the polar opposites that created them. Really enjoyed this one Chris!
"..every act which has no heart will be found out in the end" -Cormac McCarthy
Hi Chris! I so enjoyed hearing all that terrible history! We have always been barbarians here! From the time the Mayflower and the Speedwell survivors took their firsts steps on the land we have been greedy bastards. It's just really gotten out of hand. Money became the most important god to people and the rest is history. You are spot on with your ROMA today. I listened whilst cleaning the second homes of other American's. I loved all the politically correct crap. I was shaking my head in agreement over and over! Thank you for making my work flow cruise! Oh and I seriously doubt you were a weird little boy.
When they start mining the national parks and privatizing social security , we are in deep shit. The elimination of the department of education will hurt too. My Dad was in the teachers union and went to jail in teacher strikes of the 1970s demanding a fair wage and contract for teachers. There will literally will be nothing left after this administration except a militarized police force and a surveillance state.
I wonder what we do from here. People online talk about not buying things on certain days and I see pictures of people protesting at state capitols. Democrat members of congress hold up their little circular black signs during Trumps speech to congress. It feels so inadequate. It feels like people know that there are problems but no one knows what to do. Maybe there is nothing we can do.
Hey Chris, this episode reminds me of how valuable people like Noam Chomsky are (non-partisan, no-bullshit, hyper-intelligent, humanitarian-focused scholars who write about America's politics and its relation to the world).
Chomsky is getting quite old and I feel like I'm starting to grieve his death before it's even happened. Do you know of any similar intellectuals who may be able to carry the torch after Chomsky's death?
My thought is that we had a chance during the summer of love, but I feel like everybody got too fucked up to keep the momentum straight. And then they came down and arrested everybody and made all the drugs that were making people see the reality of oppression and the power of love as illegal and looked at the same as heroin
What blows my mind all the time here is that there is no movement of peace and love. Since when was an anti-war protest in favor of one side or the other? Everybody is so far duped by both sides of this political spectrum and we are exactly where they want us. Republicans and Democrats alike are siphoning money out of the stock market and the government. Meanwhile, I walk down the street in my city and there’s people yelling to themselves and there’s literally nothing anyone is doing, including myself. People screaming into the night has become normal. I feel like some of them are the ones that are seeing things for what they really are and that’s why they’re screaming.
I don’t know where it goes. I do my best to give folks a fiver or a smoke and I treat the people around me right. It seems like it’s only a matter of time before everybody that’s not a millionaire will be priced out of life.
Haven't listened yet, but to answer your question off the bat: yes.
People across America are struggling, regardless of physical identity or political ideology. We're told the economy is the strongest its ever been, but that is a flawed metric (the stock market) that doesn't reflect how hard many have it.
You can trace the roots of this problem back to Reagan, or even as far as the founding fathers—there’s always room for debate. But to me, Citizens United stands out as the clearest example of the ultra-wealthy cementing their grip on power. Until that ruling is overturned, nothing will truly change. Period
This is that Chris Ryan at his best!
Wish this one was public, be a good one to share beyond the tribe..
You're right. Just made it public.
Chris, you often talk about how stories shape reality—how dominant narratives influence how people think, act, and even justify injustice. But when it comes to language causing harm, you suddenly act like words are just empty sounds. If stories can shape reality in profound ways, why wouldn’t harmful speech—propaganda, hate speech, verbal abuse—do real damage? You’re right that free speech matters, but denying the power of words to harm (just like they can inspire or heal) feels like an intentional blind spot.
Chris, You are not full of shit. You are just saying what people are thinking about this Woke agenda. Great take on filling the open space left by unreality. I am finding it easy to agree with the Questions, but not so much with the Answers Trump is proposing. This gets me into trouble with my blue friends and brings me closer to my red friends and family.
Curious what your thoughts are on these new reality investigators like Ian Carroll who Rogan just had on his show? I find them interesting, but is their information accurate.
Thank you for highlighting all of the lies the Democrats have been feeding the American people (as well as the rest of the world) on these important issues that you mentioned. I agree with you, I may not agree or even fully understand Trump's methods, but ultimately they are addressing these issues rather than lying about them. I am most excited about Trump's cabinet, specifically RFK in terms of what can be achieved in the US (with global reverberations) over the next four years in the industries that affect us all - food and healthcare. I'm also watching with glee the corruption DOGE have been digging up (today's one gave me a chuckle - $600,000 grant to study “menstrual cycles in transgender men”!).
Daniele Bolelli and Chris Ryan need to team up to teach history
Find the idea of reality fighting back very interesting to think about. I think reality doesn't fight back by reaction, but by emerging as present and unmoving all along. Ideologies born out of a reaction to the recognition of culture being steered by group think and marketing are no more real than the polar opposites that created them. Really enjoyed this one Chris!
"..every act which has no heart will be found out in the end" -Cormac McCarthy
Hi Chris! I so enjoyed hearing all that terrible history! We have always been barbarians here! From the time the Mayflower and the Speedwell survivors took their firsts steps on the land we have been greedy bastards. It's just really gotten out of hand. Money became the most important god to people and the rest is history. You are spot on with your ROMA today. I listened whilst cleaning the second homes of other American's. I loved all the politically correct crap. I was shaking my head in agreement over and over! Thank you for making my work flow cruise! Oh and I seriously doubt you were a weird little boy.
I was weird as fuck. As all of us were, I think.
When they start mining the national parks and privatizing social security , we are in deep shit. The elimination of the department of education will hurt too. My Dad was in the teachers union and went to jail in teacher strikes of the 1970s demanding a fair wage and contract for teachers. There will literally will be nothing left after this administration except a militarized police force and a surveillance state.
I wonder what we do from here. People online talk about not buying things on certain days and I see pictures of people protesting at state capitols. Democrat members of congress hold up their little circular black signs during Trumps speech to congress. It feels so inadequate. It feels like people know that there are problems but no one knows what to do. Maybe there is nothing we can do.
Finally, Uncle Chris Is Back 😊 Thank You!
Best ROMA yet
Hey Chris, this episode reminds me of how valuable people like Noam Chomsky are (non-partisan, no-bullshit, hyper-intelligent, humanitarian-focused scholars who write about America's politics and its relation to the world).
Chomsky is getting quite old and I feel like I'm starting to grieve his death before it's even happened. Do you know of any similar intellectuals who may be able to carry the torch after Chomsky's death?
Chris Hedges
https://consortiumnews.com/2025/01/03/chris-hedges-dont-deify-jimmy-carter/
My thought is that we had a chance during the summer of love, but I feel like everybody got too fucked up to keep the momentum straight. And then they came down and arrested everybody and made all the drugs that were making people see the reality of oppression and the power of love as illegal and looked at the same as heroin
What blows my mind all the time here is that there is no movement of peace and love. Since when was an anti-war protest in favor of one side or the other? Everybody is so far duped by both sides of this political spectrum and we are exactly where they want us. Republicans and Democrats alike are siphoning money out of the stock market and the government. Meanwhile, I walk down the street in my city and there’s people yelling to themselves and there’s literally nothing anyone is doing, including myself. People screaming into the night has become normal. I feel like some of them are the ones that are seeing things for what they really are and that’s why they’re screaming.
I don’t know where it goes. I do my best to give folks a fiver or a smoke and I treat the people around me right. It seems like it’s only a matter of time before everybody that’s not a millionaire will be priced out of life.
I love you😄 this is all wonderful 🩷 thank you!
Haven't listened yet, but to answer your question off the bat: yes.
People across America are struggling, regardless of physical identity or political ideology. We're told the economy is the strongest its ever been, but that is a flawed metric (the stock market) that doesn't reflect how hard many have it.
You can trace the roots of this problem back to Reagan, or even as far as the founding fathers—there’s always room for debate. But to me, Citizens United stands out as the clearest example of the ultra-wealthy cementing their grip on power. Until that ruling is overturned, nothing will truly change. Period