Charlie Kirk and the Rise of Political Violence

136 snips

Sep 21, 2025

Guest

Constantine Kissin

Guest

Katherine Boyle

In this insightful conversation, Katherine Boyle, a venture capitalist focused on civic discourse, explores the meaning of courage in a climate of rising political violence. She reflects on martyrdom as both an extreme concept and a daily choice to speak truthfully. Joining her, Constantine Kissin, a podcast host and author, highlights how rhetoric can shape cultural trends and warns against dehumanizing language. Together, they urge listeners to reclaim civil debate and consider the impact of their words on future generations.

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ANECDOTE

Personal Prayer And Reaction

Katherine Boyle describes praying that Charlie Kirk would not become a martyr when she first heard the news.
She later reflects he indeed was martyred and this moved her deeply as a Catholic observer.

INSIGHT

Courage As Willingness To Sacrifice

Boyle frames courage as a zest for life that includes willingness to die for a cause beyond oneself.
She connects martyrdom to choosing to stand for truth rather than complacent cultural

ADVICE

Practice Courage In Small Daily Acts

Boyle urges ordinary people to speak up in small daily ways to restore normalcy and safety.
She commits to practicing small acts of vocal conviction in classrooms, workplaces, and communities.

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In this episode of Honestly with Bari Weiss, we share a special conversation featuring a16z general partner Katherine Boyle in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s shocking assassination.

Katherine reflects on what courage means in a culture where words and debate are increasingly met with violence. Drawing on faith, history, and her own response to recent tragedies, she discusses the idea of martyrdom, not only in its most extreme sense, but also in the small, everyday choices to speak the truth despite risk.

Timecodes:

0:00 Introduction

0:49 Remembering Charlie Kirk

2:46 The Meaning of Martyrdom

4:49 Courage and the Choice We Face

9:16 Returning to Normalcy

10:35 The Age of Extremes

12:15 Words, Violence, and the Next Generation

14:10 Reclaiming the Center

18:18 The Power and Danger of Rhetoric

21:55 The Call to Speak Up

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