In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about James’ journey from ministry to technology, the importance of critical thinking and humility, the role of ideology in political discourse, and the philosophical roots of Unitarianism. We even get into the nature of belief and behavior, and the implications of animal consciousness. Are critters dreaming all the time? We discuss the importance of detribalization in modern society and the role of love in ethical decision-making. Hope you enjoy it.

James’ Substack is here.

I had this conversation with an interesting guy named Piero San Giorgio recently.

Intro music “Brightside of the Sun,” by Basin and Range. “Temazcal,” by Monsters of Folk. Outro: “Rock Bottom,” by Colby Kent.

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.)

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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!

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Looking for silver linings of very dark clouds. Muss es sein? Es muss sein. Beethoven. Lessons learned from hopping a coal train in the Finger Lakes. Why do I ban listeners? Lee Atwater. Reagan. Carter. Is our current crisis the bitter fruit of what was planted in 1980? Answ…

What is the connection (if any) between football, musicals, dancing, and prostitution Some thoughts on Tears for Fears. A bunch of other random nonsense.

This one gets dark at the beginning. Could this Epstein/Trump stuff be worse, much worse than even a cynical old bastard like me could have imagined? Stuff that’s been bending for decades all feels like it’s breaking now. What does Occam’s Razor have to say about ICE raids in Minneapolis? Or Trump’s obsession with Greenland? Tariffs? Putin?

Liam and his wife, Abbey have been together for over thirteen years and have been consensually non-monogamous for eleven of those years. Their podcast, Evolving Love, seeks to help people find whatever relationship structure works best for each couple hoping to nurture depth and authenticity.

Listener voice memos. Am I a good mentor? If “the medium is the message,” what’s the message of the podcasting medium? Is non-monogamy a behavior decision, a relationship configuration, or an inner state? If it’s an inner state, how can we determine compatibility with a potential partner? How can we really know what we want/need, and how to communicate …

Will 2026 be the end of the beginning of the end or the beginning of the beginning of a new era?

Are we learning that we have been led into darkness by monsters?

Are the “basic illusions” of this era exhausted?

What does Santa have to do with my general disillusionment and the fear of death in western societies?

Ed Dupas is an Americana artist with a knack for crafting songs that stick with you — songs that balance grit and vulnerability while cutting to the heart of things. His music has earned airplay across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, resonating with listeners drawn to its emotional weight and lyrical honesty.