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Unlock timeless leadership and betrayal lessons from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar as we explore the question: Why did Brutus kill Caesar? In this lecture, we dive into Brutus’s famous “serpent’s egg” soliloquy from Act 2, Scene 1 and unpack how his loyalty to Rome ultimately collides with his love for Caesar. Along the way, you’ll discover:

• Brutus’s Internal Conflict: How his philosophical reasoning convinces him that assassinating Caesar serves the common good.
• Cassius’s Manipulation: Why planted letters and echo chambers can blind even the noblest leaders to hidden agendas.
• Stoicism & Emotional Blind Spots: How Brutus’s Stoic restraint becomes a shield that prevents him from seeing his own ambition.
• Historical Impact: The assassination’s role in ending the Roman Republic and ushering in the Empire—plus modern parallels in today’s boardrooms and tech feuds.
• Practical Takeaways: Leadership red flags, moral agency under pressure, and the dangers of self-sabotage when you “destroy what you love.”

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Proudly presented at the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) Austin Chapter—learn more and get involved here:
FFRF Austin Chapter: [https://austinffrf.org/]
Main FFRF Site: [https://ffrf.org/]

In this lecture, I explore how Ayn Rand’s Objectivism can strengthen atheist thought by offering a positive, reason-grounded moral framework. I cover:

Why Rand is so often misunderstood by atheists

A critique of the current Rand quote on the FFRF site—and five powerful alternatives

My personal journey from agnosticism to atheism via Rand’s devotion to truth and George H. Smith’s Atheism: The Case Against God

Rand’s reclaiming of “sacred” values—reverence, exaltation, and moral passion—for secular life

The cultural resurgence of religion (Jordan Peterson, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, trad-wife and “new Age” trends) and why atheism must offer more than negation

Rand’s famous letter to Congressman Bruce Alger: “I am fighting for reason, not against religion.”

👍 If you found this talk helpful, please like, comment, and subscribe for more deep dives into literature, philosophy, and secular ethics!

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What happens when an epic Hindu poem collides with modern workplace bias?

Artistic-director Sharanya Rao joins Kirk to trace three big chapters of her journey: consulting on Mahabharata Tales for Austin Shakespeare, founding Leela Indian Community Theatre, and creating Anklets in the Boardroom, a Theatre of the Oppressed production where spectators jump onstage to rewrite real discrimination scenarios. https://www.leelatheatre.org/

In this conversation:

Cutting the Mahabharata down to a 2-hour stage piece (and the “must-have” scenes)

Why Austin needed a South-Asian community stage—and how Leela was born in 2012

Theatre of the Oppressed 101: “spect-actors,” no spectators

How story circles turn real workplace stories into live scripts

The power of name-pronunciation, audience agency, and non-violent rehearsal

May 16-18 performances of Anklets in the Boardroom at Austin PBS