I'm Ryan Peterson. I am a former Radio Air Personality and former small town Police Chief (now retired from both). I spent 12 years in the Radio Business as a Talk Show Host in the 90's and early 2000's before "Podcasting" was ever a thing. Then, I spent 17 years as a Police Officer. I recently got back into the Talk Show business by starting this podcast called "Discerning the Unknown."

My goal on "Discerning the Unknown" is to encourage Critical Thinking. I intend to have fun and enlightening conversations with expert guests where you and I can both learn new things.

I tried to Host a "political debate" type of show on the radio many years ago.
I didn't like it.
Another focus on THIS podcast will be "What we think and Why we think it."

I don't argue or debate politics. I won't have guests on my show that I disagree with politically. My show is NOT about fighting, arguing or debating. If you're looking for a divided, one-sided commentary of the world that tells them what to believe or strokes their ego and totally aligns with their political views, then there are plenty of other podcasts on the Internet for that. You can go find one of them.
I interview experts. We'll discuss Politics, Conspiracy Theories and why some people believe them so passionately - even when presented with evidence that suggests they should rethink their opinion. We'll also discuss Psychology, the Paranormal, News & Current Events, Ancient History, Recent History, Law, Religion/Spirituality, Entertainment, and other issues as they arise.
I may also share some funny and relatable stories from my 12 years as a Radio Broadcaster or I may share some from 17 years as a small-town Police Officer. I'm now retired from both but enjoying podcasting more than I enjoyed either of those past lives.

The goal of "Discerning the Unknown" is to have a calm and comfortable conversation that is both fun, informative, and entertaining. I hope to bring an end to the division in society that may be ruining us, or at least making us unhappy in many ways.

Something I'll try my best NOT to do is spread Fake News. "Fake News" is a serious problem today.

Misinformation has become more prevalent in the past few years, and it can be dangerous in so many ways. To effectively slow down the spread of Fake News, we have a responsibility to scrutinize what we read, hear or repeat and ensure that it is the truth. Rumors, Speculation, and Theories are not News.

YouTube Videos and Facebook Memes are NOT the news. We need to be discerning before we spread that on social media.

This show will encourage Critical Thinking and will promote Emotional Intelligence. I will ask if the data supports the theory.

With my Law Enforcement background, I place a high value on ethics, truth and evidence that tells the real story. My intent is search for and present facts to you.
It's ok for us to be Open-Minded, but we can still request the facts.

Be Discerning of new Information. Trust AND Verify. If we can't do both, we should reconsider whether or not we spread it to others.