How Social Media Algorithms Rewire Your Mind and Steal Your Peace, feat. Richard Ryan

Listen to this episode from Back to the People with Nicole Shanahan on Spotify. Richard Ryan is a software developer and media executive with more than 20 years of experience in the tech industry. He has generated billions of views and millions of followers across social media platforms, leveraging his deep understanding of algorithms and digital marketing.As a co-founder of Black Rifle Coffee Company, he helped grow the brand to a publicly traded powerhouse with a $1.7 billion valuation and $396 million in revenue in 2023. As a tech entrepreneur, Richard has created a suite of applications to include a YouTube app that debuted in the App Store four years before YouTube. Across multiple apps, he’s achieved over millions of downloads. As a media executive, he launched Rated Red with Verizon Media and Hearst Publications, growing it to over one million organic subscribers in its first year. Richard’s YouTube empire includes several channels like FullMag (2.7 million subscribers), with over 20 billion views across all his platforms.In his new book, The Warrior’s Garden, Richard exposes how social media algorithms exploit the same psychological triggers as casinos: bright visuals, sound cues, and unpredictable rewards that hook users and keep them scrolling. Just as gamblers chase uncertain outcomes, we chase likes, comments, and notifications, sacrificing long-term goals for short-term gratification. He explores the neuroscience behind these dopamine-driven cycles and offers practical strategies to reclaim control. His book is not about quitting technology altogether, instead it focuses on using it consciously, minimizing addictive effects, strengthening mental resilience, and empowering readers to become mindful participants in a digital age. With gratitude to our sponsors: RA Opticshttps://raoptics.com/bttpUse Code: BTTP-----Sky Horse Publishinghttps://www.skyhorsepublishing.com/-----Sign Uphttps://www.backtothepeople.net