The Superhumanize Podcast War Correspondent Hollie McKay on Managing Fear, Lessening Human Suffering, and Finding True Beauty in the Most Horrific Circumstances
There are the kind of people who lead by example, the kind of courageous people who shine a light into the darkness, and are not afraid to walk into it themselves at their own peril in order to give a voice to the voiceless. I am extremely humbled to call such an incredibly compassionate and fearless person a dear friend.
My guest today is Hollie McKay. Hollie is a writer, human rights and foreign policy expert, and war crimes investigator. She worked for Fox News digital for over 14 years, covering warfare, terrorism and crimes against humanity, and has interviewed survivors of sex slavery, torture, and forced child jihadist training.
Hollie has worked on the front lines of several major war zones and has covered humanitarian and diplomatic crises in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Iran, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Africa and Latin America, just to mention a few.
Hollie is also the author of Only Cry for the Living: Memos From Inside the ISIS Battlefield.
It is her personal and raw account of her on the ground experiences, chronicling the rise of ISIS in Iraq. It is a book about the chilling legacy of one of the most brutal terror organizations in the world, and it is also a story about the resilience and beauty of the human spirit.
In my conversation with Hollie, you'll learn:
02:27 Hollie‘s unusual backstory and how she became a war reporter: from Australia to the US, from interviewing Johnny Depp on the red carpet to interviewing Jihadis in war zones
10:05 Why Hollie at the pinnacle of her career as a Hollywood columnist completely changed her path
16:42 War correspondents are different from all other journalists. Why Hollie chose to become a war reporter
20:24 Women in war: the obstacles and advantages of female reporters in war zones
26:16 How to prepare for and keep yourself safe in very dangerous situations
31:23 How to deal with fear setting in and keeping it from turning into panic
33:08 Hollie’s answers to the question: what is war? What the truth is that Hollie found in war
39:15 The deep humanity and beauty Hollie found even in the most horrible situations
47:37 What we need to understand about refugees and displaced people
52:12 What we can do as individuals with regards to lessening global suffering
58:05 Hollie‘s future endeavors
01:02:57 Hollie‘s practices
Resources mentioned:
Website: www.holliemckay.com
Hollie's Book: Only Cry for the Living: Memos From Inside the ISIS Battlefield