Reason Bound

Recording from Tokyo, I have on guests to discuss social issues, politics, and what's happening in the world. It's not what people believe, but why they believe it that I find most interesting.

#50: Japan Bound 12/31/2025

#50: Japan Bound Ryan welcomes guests Andrew Echeverria and Jennifer Shumaker, two friends he first met while studying abroad in Japan. One of the most frequent topics Ryan gets questions about is his time overseas, which is why he's brought on Jennifer and Andrew to discuss their lives overseas as well. This episode provides lots of information from different perspectivies about what it's like to live in Japan, how these three have gotten work in the country, different paths they all took in order to live there, and everything in between. Episode 50 is Japan Bound! /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/37645695

#49: Fanatical Thinking 11/14/2025

#49: Fanatical Thinking Award winning Birtish journalist Charles Thomson returns to Reason Bound to talk about the bane of their existence: unhinged fans. The term "celebrity worship" gets thrown around a lot, but it's very real and it causes very real cognitive issues. While there isn't an abundance of research on people who transition from fans to radical fanatics, Ryan and Charles discuss a study titled: "Cognitive Skills Revisited: Applying Cattell's Two-Factor Theory Of Intelligence In a Cross-Sectional Study". The results of the study demonstrate celebrity worship has a direct association with poor performance on cognitive tests that cannot be accounted for by demographic and socioeconomic factors. Charles and Ryan discuss fandom as a way to establish identity, the impact of fan behavior on the legacy of artists, and what types of toxic behavior fanatics engage in to ascend to positions of authority within particular fandoms. Of course, no episode with Charles would be complete without revisiting Michael Jackson and some of the extremes of his fanbase, including perhaps his most extreme fans of all: his detractors. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/37454295

#48: Canceling Culture 10/16/2025

#48: Canceling Culture Astucious Aussie, Ben Holford, returns to Reason Bound to talk with Ryan about various controversies and how public attitudes have shaped the surrounding narratives. They discuss the concept of over-shaming having a backlash effect and if the level of "cancelling" makes others to be more or less likely inclined to apologize when they recognize they've offended someone in some way. Offense itself can be difficult to navigate as they discuss where lines of respect are reasonably drawn. What is the utility of digging up transgressions of years gone by if the person who transgressed doesn't even hold their antiquated attitudes present day? People and controversies discussed include Prince Harry, Lizzo, and CM Punk. This interview is an in depth discussion on all things related to bounds of reason, lines drawn for acceptable behavior, and ultimately achieving social cohesion. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/37453035

#47: Practical, Personal Freedom 09/17/2025

#47: Practical, Personal Freedom Denise Johnson returns to Reason Bound to join Ryan for a discussion on what shapes our identities in relation to our politics and/or voting habits. Denise discusses the balancing act some immigrants to the U.S. face in trying to retain cultural aspects from their home country while assimilating into their new society. Even finding a place amongst people from the same cultural background can be difficult, as Denise shares why her family bestowed her with the title "lioness" due to her fighting conventional ideas of how she should act. Finally, Denise discusses an important book for her that she calls "a mentality shift" authored by Don Miguel Ruiz titled: "The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom". Denise and Ryan go in depth on each of the four agreements: Be impeccable with your word, do not take anything personally, do not make assumptions, and always do your best. They also discuss the famous Trolley Dilemma and utilitarian v.s. deontological judgements. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/37452590

#46: Of Multiple Minds 08/13/2025

#46: Of Multiple Minds Abraham Holloman returns to Reason Bound to talk with Ryan about a documentary called "Crazy, Not Insane". The documentary features noted crime psychiatrist Dorothy Otnow Lewis examine aspects of the brain. Specifically, Dr. Lewis has spent years studying the psychology of murders with a focus on Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly called Multiple Personality Disorder). In keeping with Reason Bound's attempt to find the "why" behind what motivates people, it was a great film to better understand the psychology of those affected by Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and why they sometimes commit horrendous acts. Abraham and Ryan likewise found the film insightful to what Abraham calls the levity, light, and brightness of Dr. Lewis as she leads the audience through case study after case study. Despite disturbing subject matter, the film leaves the viewer feeling they have a foundational understanding of some of the factors that lead to a person becoming, though perhaps not crazy, clinically insane. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/37451950

#45: Tradition Twist 07/15/2025

#45: Tradition Twist Mike Hubbard returns to Reason Bound to discuss how he views the relationship he has with his wife and the value it brings to their home. Mike prefers to be out making money and hustling on the side to provide financial support, while his wife prefers to stay at home and raise their children herself. Mike discusses his thoughts on the importance of both roles, the importance of both parties consenting and wanting the roles they have, and how in their case it has resulted in a happy, healthy, functioning home life. While acknowledging his partnership with his wife can't work for every couple, he does a great job of articulating why he and his wife have chosen their relationship, best described as tradition with a twist. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/37408040

#44: Trade Ideas 04/08/2025

#44: Trade Ideas A lontime friend Andy Connel joins Ryan on Reason Bound to discuss something we both with we had more of and less of: options. In a supermarket it can be overwhelming with 40 different flavors of Cheerios, but what about in life? One option many have been conditioned to not consider, is picking a skilled trade for a career. Andy discusses his own history that led him to a career in the trades as well as many things learned along the way. Using The Hechinger Report and others as a reference, they discuss the future of the U.S. economy, jobs, and ultimately why choosing a skilled trade for a career is coming into fashion. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/36047610

#43: Generational Mental Health 03/09/2025

#43: Generational Mental Health Denise Johnson joins Ryan for this episode of Reason Bound to discuss generational mental health. When people are faced with trauma, getting professional help up to and including medication management can have an extremely positive effect on their lives. In spite of this, having mental health issues is still often stigmatized, with some going so far as to suggest depression, etc, doesn't exist or sum up mental health problems as: "white people issues". A guide for dealing with mental health needs from the American Psychological Association is discussed as well as home/school life and ethnic group differences in navigating mental health issues. The importance of breaking the cycle of generational dysfunction before bringing children into this world is heavily emphasized via a piece in Scientific American titled: "How Parents’ Trauma Leaves Biological Traces in Children". /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/35599420

#42: Drag Queen Controversy 01/05/2025

#42: Drag Queen Controversy An Aussie named Ben joins Ryan to discuss the big drag queen issues that have been in the news the last several years seemingly nonstop. On this (weirdly) very heated topic, sober and reason-bound commentary seem sparse. Ben and Ryan discuss what exactly "drag" is, what its components can be and what its components don't have to be. As they say: "context is king", and exploring context is a good way to avoid sounding like a frothing at the mouth lunatic when discussing this issue. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/34728665

#41: Balancing On Life's Penny Board 11/29/2024

#41: Balancing On Life's Penny Board Tej Singh joins Ryan to discuss work life balance and reminisce on their time together in Japan during the global pandemic. Tej worked for years as a career coach and shares suggestions for a good cover letter and resume/cv format in the discussion of critical things to consider when deciding what line of work to enter into for a career. Balancing work and life is one of the healthiest things one can do and as the only one to work with Ryan in both corporate and creative work environments, Tej is the perfect person to discuss how to optimize a lifestyle that deals with both. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/34198690

Interlude: My Suicidal Ideation as a result of Progressive Insurance 07/25/2024

Interlude: My Suicidal Ideation as a result of Progressive Insurance This is an update for those who've asked. I've had suicidal ideation from Progressive Insurance deciding to try and milk me for even more money in asking many intrusive questions about my roommate and interpreting my driving to work in a way to take even more money from me than we had agreed when I prepaid 6 months of coverage. This is a prime example of why I don't put out content as often. The liars and con artists at Progressive Insurance did nothing for me but instill severe suicidal ideation. Stay away. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/32286932

#40: Personality Typecast 06/29/2024

#40: Personality Typecast The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is probably the most famous personality test in the world. Mari Buljo returns to Reason Bound to discuss this personality test with a skeptical Ryan. How far should people read into the validity of these tests, what is the history of the MBTI creation, and how much of a difference is there between these personality tests and a horoscope? Mari is one of Ryan's favorite guests and they first cover some history of how they met and interacted in class together in Tokyo. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/31906147

#39: Latin Xplanations 04/09/2024

#39: Latin Xplanations Denise Johnson returns to Reason Bound to discuss blending cultural identities centered on what it means to be Latino/a, Chicano/a, Hispanic, and so on. Denise talks with Ryan about connecting with roots, hertiage, and how one's own culture can interact with another. It's a good conversation between long time friends that sparked ideas about what it means to be identity X or Y. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/30741278

#38: Fighting For Fairness: Japan's Tozen Union v.s. Gaba Corporation 11/06/2023

#38: Fighting For Fairness: Japan's Tozen Union v.s. Gaba Corporation Ryan welcomes a panel from Japan's Tozen union to discuss working conditions at a prominent English school (eikaiwa) in Japan. A slew of bad policy decisions from Gaba Corporation including forcing instructors (treated as independent contractors by the corporation) into a qualified invoice system, has led to union action and recent strikes. Another new horrific policy announcement would see teachers fined per lesson if they become unable to teach, which could even result in a negative paycheck. In addition to demanding an end to the qualified invoice system requirements, Gaba Instructors, who have not received a raise since 2008, are fighting for a modest raise of 200 yen per lesson ($1.33 U.S. as of the currency exchange rate on 11/06/23). Ryan and the panel discuss the importance of unions, past victories Tozen has achieved for workers, and how Gaba instructors as well as counselors can join the union and strengthen bargaining power in the fight for fair working conditions. Tozen union panel guests include the Tozen Union Gaba Workers Union Executive President Musashi Sakazaki, Tozen Union Gaba Workers Union General Secretary Mitch Brown, Tozen Union Gaba Workers Union Member Paul Bowen, and Tozen Union Deputy Finance Officer and Organizer Louis Carlet. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/28530374

#37: Culture Mix 10/31/2023

#37: Culture Mix Returning from overseas ventures, Michael Hubbard returns to the U.S. and Reason Bound to discuss Cultural Appropriation with Ryan. Cultural Appropriation seems to have different meanings to different people. Where is the line between what is acceptable and not in social behaviors that cross cultures. Mike and Ryan on a reason-bound discussion on everything from food to clothing to Halloween costumes. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/28471505

#36: Out Of Style: Truth 09/02/2023

#36: Out Of Style: Truth Award winning journalist Charles Thomson returns to Reason Bound to discuss reality as people seem to be navigating it. Fake news, false information, and outright lies are inundating the populace more than Charles and Ryan can ever recall. Where can truth be found? How should claims be evaluated? From British politicians lamenting "Oh, we've had enough of experts" to formerly respected journalists jumping on leaving reality-land railroad jobs, truth is now out of style in favor of confirmation bias. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/27925506

#35: War and Peace III: The Wanton Bombings Of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 08/06/2023

#35: War and Peace III: The Wanton Bombings Of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Manny Militello joins Ryan for the third installment of the War and Peace series. Having both met in an international law class at Waseda University in Tokyo, Manny and Ryan have had quite some time to study the history and narratives of actions taken against Japan during the second World War. They discuss history leading up to the U.S.'s involvement in the war, the fire bombings of Tokyo, and the wanton acts of using nuclear weapons on a country that was willing to surrender. The Hague Conventions are discussed as the authority in determining the legality of the bombings, and an analysis of the court's findings in the case of Ryuichi Shimoda et al. v. The State further serves to expose the illegality of the atrocities. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/27673947

#34: Thoughts On Abortion 07/11/2023

#34: Thoughts On Abortion The last year has put a spotlight on issues surrounding women's reproductive rights and whether or not it's appropriate for women to have control over their own bodies. Rachel Cannon joins Ryan to discuss various aspects of abortion from legislative history to positions influenced by belief in and devotion to religion. It's a sober conversation on a crucial health and family issue that, for the time being, is as unresolved as ever. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/27437496

#33: Some Kind Of Magic 06/18/2023

#33: Some Kind Of Magic Denise Johnson joins Ryan to discuss religion and spirituality. Where may one stop and the other start, or are they both inextricably linked? One or both terms are nothing more than woo woo to some, while others find they function as descriptive labels for some kind of force/magic/supernatural sense that transcend the natural world. Denise and Ryan discuss establishment religions, what it means to be a cult, and a sense of something greater than oneself that many claim to experience regardless of individual culture, practice, or religious upbringing. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/27186882

#32: Race and Fiction 05/21/2023

#32: Race and Fiction Longtime friend Abraham Holloman joins Ryan to discuss the often times polarizing subject of race swapping fictional characters. They discuss reasons why some find it difficult to be at peace with an established character in one version of a story, then have a race swap take place in a subsequent story, film, etc. Abraham and Ryan discuss the backlash over the casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel in the live action Little Mermaid, as well as other fictional characters and to what extent race being consistent in every story of that character should or shouldn't ultimately matter. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/26906409

Interlude: 2 Things 11/01/2020

Interlude: 2 Things 21-31 /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/16633793

#31: State-Sponsored Execution 10/11/2020

#31: State-Sponsored Execution Award winning British journalist, Charles Thomson, returns to Reason Bound to discuss state-sponsored executions, also known as "capital punishment" or "the death penalty". As many nations across the world move toward a greater level of civility, there are still countries where the state has the authority to demonstrate murder is wrong by murdering. Charles talks with Ryan about the inherent hypocrisy of the death penalty and discusses the cases of Nathaniel Woods, Troy Davis, and George Stinney Jr., among others. The lasting question will be: What does this add to our humanity? /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/16352309

#30: Animals 09/03/2020

#30: Animals Holly Wilt returns to Reason Bound to talk with Ryan about principles involving animal rights, suffering, and factory farming amongst others. In his teens Ryan went vegetarian before going vegan. In this episode he has an open and honest conversation with Holly, a former vegetarian, about the ethics of consuming animals. Also, the baby spider story is finally told in what was an epic moment in the saga of Holly and Ryan's friendship. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/15870914

#29: Guns 08/03/2020

#29: Guns Cody Linklater returns to Reason Bound to have a calm, cool, and collected discussion with Ryan about their differing views on guns. When, if at all, should the 2nd Amendment be limited? Should the US look to other countries and adopt their gun control and safety policies? Other topics include encountering nazis and escalating violence, the importance of mental health, and the police. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/15459287

#28: Black Panther: MARVELous Representation 07/06/2020

#28: Black Panther: MARVELous Representation Jarvis Simmons joins Ryan for a discussion on representation in film. Specifically, they take a look back at Marvel's "Black Panther" and why that was such a pivotal moment for pop culture. Other topics include different racial interpretations of established characters, new stories featuring characters not seen as the norm, and the debate of our time: Iron Man VS Batman. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/15100235

#27: Flag Burning, Dating, and Religion 06/19/2020

#27: Flag Burning, Dating, and Religion Nick Hodge comes on Reason Bound to join Ryan in person. They throw down a few drinks while discussing flag burning, dating, and religion. It's a spirited conversation that looks at behavior, rules, and regulations about laws concerning the treatment of a country's national flag. Another topic as yet discussed on the podcast is how each feels about dating someone if they have fairly different religious beliefs than themselves. It's an Aussie invasion and one of the best! /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/14889644

#26: Race Relations 06/01/2020

#26: Race Relations Ryan's childhood friend, Aaron Adair, joins Reason Bound to talk about race relations in the United States and specifically his experiences being viewed as a black man. After the initial recording, events surrounding the death of George Floyd took place which prompted Ryan and Aaron to record an additional hour to add on. Other topics include riots, police encounters, privilege, and marginalized groups. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/14647388

#25: What I Got 05/23/2020

#25: What I Got Holly Wilt returns to Reason Bound to discuss sex and love. Holly and Ryan discuss the throes of love and delve into that which is considered temporary compared with everlasting. A study about how people reignite the passion from earlier times in their relationships, love between friends, and passionate vs compassionate love are topics also discussed. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/14537828

#24: Wander Abroad 04/08/2020

#24: Wander Abroad Ryan talks with Tej Singh about his time in South Korea and Japan. Tej shares thoughts on the differences in lifestyle, business, relationships, and the point many expats reach where they return to their country of origin. Some, however, seem to wander abroad forever... /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/13902026

#23: Preparing For Chaos 03/15/2020

#23: Preparing For Chaos Former combat medicine technician, Michael Hubbard, returns to discuss the recent pandemic. Regardless of how bad things become with coronavirus, it's crucial to be prepared for devastating events that have the potential to change people's way of life. Mike and Ryan discuss obvious and not so obvious items to have in the case of an emergency, the state of politics in the US, and people's social awareness as we head into whatever future awaits. /episode/index/show/reasonbound/id/13552166

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