Live June 14, 2026 (The Yaron & Nikos Dialogues, Episode 5) Unholy Alliance -- The Left & Islamism | Yaron & Nikos Dialogues How the Radical Left Fell in Love with Islamism: From Foucault to Hamas Why do so many on the Western Left embrace movements whose values seem fundamentally opposed to their own? In Episode 5 of The Yaron & Nikos Dialogues, Yaron Brook and Nikos Sotirakopoulos trace the intellectual, political, and historical roots of the alliance between the radical Left and Islamism. From Marxist revolutionary theory and Soviet policy to the Iranian Revolution, Michel Foucault, Edward Said, postcolonialism, and today's campus activism, they examine how anti-Western ideology forged one of the most influential political alliances of our time. The discussion explores how concepts like oppression, authenticity, moral relativism, and anti-colonialism transformed Western intellectual life—and how those ideas continue to shape attitudes toward Israel, the Middle East, and Western civilization itself. Watch Now: https://youtube.com/live/RIbjRxhZIKs Main Topics: 00:00 Introduction to The Yaron & Nikos Dialogues 00:54 October 7 and the rise of Left-Islamist alliances on campus 02:56 Marx, Bolsheviks, and Islam in Soviet revolutionary strategy 05:17 Arab nationalism, radical Islam, and revolutionary movements 09:03 Lebanon, Musa Al Sadr, and Left-Islamist cooperation 13:23 Hezbollah, Khomeini, and Iranian influence 18:22 Rousseau, authenticity, and the Western intellectual tradition 20:14 Michel Foucault and the Iranian Revolution 26:14 Why Foucault became fascinated with religious zeal 28:15 Arafat, the revolution, and regional transformation 30:31 How Iran reshaped the Muslim world 33:37 The U.S. Embassy hostage crisis 35:14 Iran's revolutionary constitution 36:01 Iran-Israel tensions and the prospect of war 37:10 Radical Islam and influence in the West 38:02 What happened to Iran's Left after the revolution? 39:52 Foucault's enduring academic influence 42:09 Edward Said and Orientalism 48:34 How Orientalism transformed academia 52:57 Postcolonialism and views of Israel 54:58 The convergence of Leftist and Islamist causes 57:00 Anti-Westernism, resentment, and "Queers for Palestine" 1:00:32 Moral relativism and oppressor-oppressed thinking 1:04:47 Jeremy Corbyn, Hamas, Hezbollah, and UK politics Audience Questions 1:24:21 R.E.M.'s "Stand" — great song or not? 1:26:39 What's the fastest way to identify a cult? 1:31:08 Starman, abortion, and individual rights 1:32:40 Why do "Queers for Palestine" oppose Israeli self-defense? 1:35:38 What does wisdom really mean? 1:40:30 Is the Right actually the greater political threat? 1:47:16 Why don't socialist failures change socialist minds? 1:53:07 How did Jerry Seinfeld become a billionaire? 1:58:30 "No ethical consumption under capitalism"—where did this idea come from? 2:01:57 Can a culture dependent on government ever become free? 2:04:25 What would a privatized Central Park look like? 2:05:57 Can New York City be saved? 2:09:06 Can the U.S. soccer team make a serious run? 2:10:17 How do you stay calm during technological revolutions like AI? 2:14:18 Is individualism viewed as a political liability? 2:16:50 Thoughts on Yair Lapid? 2:21:55 Messi vs. Ronaldo: talent or achievement? 2:24:19 How would Nikos fix the NBA? 2:26:15 Is nationalism ever appropriate? 2:27:49 Has Nikos become an NHL fan? 2:30:01 Messi or Ronaldo: genius vs. relentless ambition? More from [Nikos Sotirakopoulos](https://www.nikos.org/) Support Nikos: / @nikos_1717 👉 Subscribe for fearless conversations on philosophy, politics, economics, psychology, culture, and the future of Western civilization. #NikosSotirakopoulos #Islamism #Postcolonialism #Iran #Israel #MiddleEastPolitics #Foucault #EdwardSaid #leftists #marxism #IdentityPolitics #PoliticalPhilosophy #Objectivism The Yaron Brook Show is Sponsored by: -- The Ayn Rand Institute (https://www.aynrand.org/starthere) -- Energy Talking Points, featuring AlexAI, by Alex Epstein (https://alexepstein.substack.com/) -- Express VPN (https://www.expressvpn.com/yaron) -- Hendershott Wealth Management (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4lfC...) https://hendershottwealth.com/ybs/ -- Michael Williams & The Defenders of Capitalism Project (https://www.DefendersOfCapitalism.com) Join this channel to get access to perks: / @yaronbrook Like what you hear? Like, share, and subscribe to stay updated on new videos and help promote the Yaron Brook Show: https://bit.ly/3ztPxTx Support the Show and become a sponsor: / yaronbrookshow or https://yaronbrookshow.com/ or / yaronbrookshow Or make a one-time donation: https://bit.ly/2RZOyJJ Continue the discussion by following Yaron on Twitter (https://bit.ly/3iMGl6z) and Facebook (https://bit.ly/3vvWDDC ) Want to learn more about Ayn Rand and Objectivism? Visit the Ayn Rand Institute: https://bit.ly/35qoEC3 Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/yaron-brook-show--3276901/support. Yaron is the executive chairman of the Ayn Rand Institute and a world class speaker. He is the coauthor of the national best-seller Free Market Revolution: How Ayn Rand’s Ideas Can End Big Government, Equal is Unfair: America's Misguided Fight Against Income Inequality and In Pursuit of Wealth: The Moral Case for Finance. He speaks around the world on a variety of topics including the morality of capitalism, Ayn Rand and her philosophy, finance and economics, and the value of inequality.
