The shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk has forced us to confront not only the dangers of political extremism but the deeper spiritual and cultural fractures in our society. In a recent conversation with visionary podcaster Aubrey Marcus, I set out to move beyond the familiar left-versus-right debates and explore how we might rediscover our shared humanity.
Aubrey began by grounding the conversation in personal responsibility. Healing ourselves—through therapy, meditation, psychedelics, breathwork—is not just a private pursuit. We do the inner work so we can show up better for our families, our communities, and the world. Without a guiding vision for who we are and what we serve, he warned, we are easily seduced by shortcuts, distractions, and resentment. But if we commit to becoming whole, that transformation ripples outward.
When tragedies like this occur, many reduce individuals to mere political avatars. Charlie Kirk becomes “the right-wing ideologue,” stripped of his humanity as a husband, father, and fellow human being. Aubrey noted that this dehumanization—naming, labeling, negating—is the first step in justifying violence. Across history, from slavery to genocide, opponents have been reduced to rats, cockroaches, or abstractions. Once we stop calling people by their names and seeing their faces, we open the door to cruelty.
And yet, amid the vitriol, we also saw glimmers of hope. Leaders across the spectrum—from Van Jones to Ana Kasparian—condemned the violence without qualification. Some who had once mocked Kirk openly acknowledged his humanity. For Aubrey, these moments reveal the possibility of awakening: a recognition that while we disagree on abortion, immigration, or vaccines, there are values we all (with some notable exceptions) intuitively know to be true—love, truth, compassion, and the sanctity of life.
The way forward, he argued, is not uniting one tribe against another but uniting all who stand for “value” itself—life, dignity, the possibility of redemption. This requires rejecting the tit-for-tat logic of rivalries that has plagued human history. Instead, we must embrace a “new game,” one rooted in rehumanization, humility, and guiding principles that transcend dogma.
This doesn’t mean pacifism or naïve relativism. Evil exists, and sometimes force is necessary to protect the innocent. But it should always be the last resort, after every attempt at dialogue, compassion, and redemption has been made.
In the end, the question isn’t whether we agree with Charlie Kirk on every issue. It’s whether we can resist the urge to collapse a person into their politics and instead honor their irreducible humanity. As Aubrey reminded us, “We are all related.” If we can remember that truth—even in moments of crisis—perhaps we can begin to heal the divisions that threaten to tear us apart.
Support The Illusion of Consensus!
The Illusion of Consensus is a fully reader-supported publication. I need your support now more then every as I launch the new season of the show this week. If you support the high-quality science and Big Pharma journalism on this site, consider becoming a paid or founding member to receive exclusive articles, early-access episodes, and ask questions for future episodes. Or support The Illusion of Consensus with a one-time donation.
 | A guest post by
|