Politics

Episode 32: Interview With 'Woke Bae' Hasan Piker from The Young Turks

June 30th 2017

What is America's best weapon against ISIS?

It might be Hollywood.

"I think American pop culture is America's greatest weapon. It's cultural imperialism in its purest form, and it works," said Hasan Piker, the Young Turks political commentator who was a guest on the Got Your Attention podcast.

Piker, who grew up in Turkey before coming to the United States for college, says that America's movies and music are a huge draw for young people around the world. And when repressive regimes prevent their people from consuming American culture, it doesn't go over well.

"People like porn. People like McDonald's. People like eating bacon," Piker explained. "If any religion is holding them back from doing things they like—and it doesn't make any sense to them—then there are benefits [for people fighting extremism]."

In fact, based on his experience living in Turkey, Piker believes that positive cultural messages are "one of the best ways" to fight extremist ideology.

To hear more from Hasan, listen to the rest of the interview embedded above. 

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