Give Them An Argument

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We're building a smarter, funnier, and more appealing left one episode at a time! Every Saturday, Give Them An Argument is recorded with a Zoom "studio audience." Patrons get the video right away (patreon.com/benburgis) and it goes out into the world as a YouTube video and a podcast on Monday.

Ben Burgis


    • May 16, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 53m AVG DURATION
    • 262 EPISODES

    4.6 from 122 ratings Listeners of Give Them An Argument that love the show mention: ben, great.



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    Latest episodes from Give Them An Argument

    Season 7 Episode 14: Karl Marx in America (ft. Andrew Hartman)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 117:26


    Andrew Hartman joins Ben Burgis to talk about his fascinating book "Karl Marx in America," where he traces interest in Marx's ideas by American commentators from the Gilded Age to the Great Depression to the Vietnam-era New Left to the present. Before that, Ben does an Opening Argument responding to Ro Khanna on socialism. In the postgame for patrons, Ben and the crew watch a slightly less serious discussion about Marx by Tim Pool and Sargon of Akkad and some other person who's name none of us can be bothered to remember (+ Donald Trump telling a story about how his fat billionaire friend in London).Sign up for the Capital Vol. 2 class:patreon.com/benburgisBuy Andrew's book:https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/K/bo245100866.htmlFollow Andrew on Twitter: @HartmanAndrewFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 7 Episode 13: Eric Blanc on the Way Forward for Labor

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 66:31


    Eric Blanc joins Ben Burgis to talk about his new book "How Worker-to-Worker Organizing Is Revitalizing Labor and Winning Big." Then in the postgame for patrons, Ben and the crew will watch a bit of Ethan Klein vs. Hassan Piker for some reason.Buy Eric's book:https://www.ucpress.edu/books/we-are-the-union/paperRead Eric's Substack:https://www.laborpolitics.com/Follow Eric on Twitter: @_ericblancFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 7 Episode 12: Congressman Ro Khanna Gives Us An Argument

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2025 92:17


    Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) comes on to talk about the swirling chaos of Trump 2.0 and where Dems are falling short in response. Before that, Ben does an Opening Argument about why the Left should trumpet the fact that social democratic policies are objectively pro-natalist. Pressuring people to have kids is obviously illiberal and bad, but we should take the W on the fact that the economic policies we want would make things a lot easier for people who want to make that choice (and the fact that this would be good for our society). Musician and commentator José Ayerve joins us in the postgame for patrons..Follow Ro Khanna on Twitter: @RepRoKhannaFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 7 Episode 11: Talking Hegel w/Borna Radnik & Matt McManus

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 128:59


    First-time GTAA guest Borna Radnik and frequent GTAA guest Matt McManus join Ben Burgis to chat about Borna's book "Freedom, in Context:Time, History, and Necessity in Hegel." Before that, in lieu of an Opening Argument and for the first time on YouTube, we'll play a talk Ben gave a while back called "Karl Marx Deserves Better Critics."...and, last but not least, Jason Myles hangs out in the postgame for patrons!Check out Borna's book:https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Context-History-Necessity-Hegel/dp/1350430048Follow Borna on Twitter: @BornaRadnikFollow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 7 Episode 10: Matt Bruenig & Luke Savage on "Abundance"

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025 134:42


    Matt Bruenig and Luke Savage join Ben Burgis to talk about their reviews of Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson's book, "Abundance," and what it all signifies about the drift of contemporary liberalism. Before that, Ben does an Opening Argument about why we should reject the false dichotomy of having to either support Donald Trump's "liberation day" insanity or neoliberal free-trade absolutism. Last but definitely not least, Victor Bruzzone and Ethan from Confronting Capital join for the postgame for patrons.Ticket link for the San Francisco live show on April 17th:https://www.universe.com/events/is-trump-the-end-of-history-tickets-J30WT9Read Luke's review of "Abundance":https://www.lukewsavage.com/p/the-paucity-of-abundance...and Matt's:https://www.peoplespolicyproject.org/2025/03/24/the-abundance-agenda/Follow Luke on Twitter: @lukewsavageFollow Matt on Twitter: @MattBruenigFollow Victor on Twitter: @victorbruzzoneFollow Ethan on Twitter: @Mouthy_InfidelFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 7 Episode 9: Songs to Revolt To

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 139:14


    Jake and Andy are joined by Teen Driver's Mark Gurarie to talk about protest music. Ben shows up for a bit at the beginning but then disappears because he has bad priorities and chose to spend his birthday with his "literal" family instead of his podcasting family. We're not sure what's wrong with him.Ticket link for the San Francisco live show on April 17th:https://www.universe.com/events/is-trump-the-end-of-history-tickets-J30WT9Check out Teen Driver:https://teendriver.bandcamp.comFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 7 Episode 8: Debating Socialism w/the Libertarian Institute's Keith Knight

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 91:22


    Ben Burgis faces off with the Libertarian Institute's managing editor Keith Knight in a wide-ranging debate about capitalism, socialism, coercion, authoritarianim, exploitation, and more.Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 7 Episode 7: Debating Palestine w/Philosopher Spencer Case

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2025 125:15


    Ben Burgis and philosophy professor and "Micro-Digressions" host Spencer Case hash out their disagreement on Zionism. Before that, Ben and the crew watch a fascinatingly strange AI video and Ben gives an Opening Argument on the Trump administration's authoritarianism, whether it's fascism, and why that even matters. Mean Djene Bajalan joins us for the postgame for GTAA patrons to break down GroupChatGate.Tickets to the live show in San Francisco on April 17th:https://www.universe.com/events/is-trump-the-end-of-history-tickets-J30WT9Check out Micro-Digressions:https://www.youtube.com/@Micro-DigressionsFollow Spencer on Twitter: @ADigressionsSpencer's book recommendations on the Israel-Palestine Conflict:Israel/Palestine by Alan DowtyRise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations by Ronen Bergman The War of Return: How Western Indulgence of The Palestinian Dream Has Obstructed the Path to Peace by Einat Wilf and Adi SchwartzRighteous Victims: A History of the Zionist-Arab Conflict 1881-2001 by Benny MorrisFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 7 Episode 6: Watching Dugin & Glenn Greenwald w/Deep State Kuba

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 129:41


    Far-right Russian thinker Aleksandr Dugin just sat down with Glenn Greenwald for an extensive interview, and we can't look away. Deep State Kuba joins Ben Burgis to watch some of it and discuss. Before that, Ben does an Opening Argument on the issues raised by the outrageous assault on free speech at Columbia. At the end of the main show, we play some of Daniel Tutt's guest appearance on Ben Burgis's Sunday afternoon Zoom Capital class to talk about the lumpenproletariat and tease Richard Wolff's guest lecture next Sunday. (Anyone who wants can join the class at patreon.com/benburgis and get instant access to all 25 class recordings so far, and of course join live for the approximately one trillion Sundays we've got left in the class (eight more chapters left in Vol. I, plus the entirety of Vols. II + III). Last but very far from least, in the postgame for patrons Ben and the crew chat with Yuri Rashkin, who actually did a Russian-language debate with Dugin a couple of years ago. Ben is accused of spreading "Kremlin propaganda" but somehow everyone parts as friends.Buy tickets for Ben's live show with Jason Myles on April 17th in San Francisco:https://www.universe.com/events/is-trump-the-end-of-history-tickets-J30WT9Follow Kuba on Twitter: @DrKuba2Follow Daniel on Twitter: @DanielTuttFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 7 Episode 5: Conversations with Platypi (Ben & Jason at UC-Irvine)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 276:52


    A couple weeks ago, Ben Burgis and Jason Myles went to UC-Irvine to speak at a panel on neoliberalism at the West coast conference of the Platypus Affiliated Society. It was a pretty interesting conversation, and we're excited to finally be able to share it.Before that, Ben gives us an Opening Argument about Jeff Bezos's diktat the Washington Post will no longer publish anything critical of "free markets" and look back at a moment from Ben's debate with Curtis Yarvin where Yarvin claimed that the Washington Post was so autonomous that Bezos was more like its "sponsor" than its owner. Last but definitely not least, Jason joins us for a debrief at the end of the episode.Read the Jacobin article on Bezos's diktat:https://jacobin.com/2025/03/bezos-washington-post-free-marketFollow Jason on Twitter: @J_Myles_TiRFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 7 Episode 4: Walter Block Calls for Legalizing Sexual Harassment & Privatizing Roads

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2025 150:58


    Last week, Ben Burgis debated libertarian economist Walter Block. Tonight, we're playing you the recording. (The debate was hosted by the magazine Merion West, which will be simultaneously releasing it on their podcast.) This was a continuation of a written debate that started with Ben's article "The Case for Democratic Socialism":https://merionwest.com/2024/12/07/the-case-for-democratic-socialism/...and continued with Walter's reply:https://merionwest.com/2024/12/19/rejoinder-to-ben-burgis-the-case-for-laissez-faire-capitalism/...and concluded with Ben's response to Walter:https://merionwest.com/2024/12/30/in-reply-to-walter-block-defending-democratic-socialism/Before the debate, Ben does an Opening Argument on why libertarianism has nothing to do with freedom, and in the postgame for patrons Jason Myles comes by to hang out and talk shit. A good time is had by all.Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 7 Episode 3: Vivek Chibber is Done with Your Nonsense

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2025 115:10


    Vivek Chibber is an sociology professor at NYU, the editor the socialist journal Catalyst, and the host of Jacobin's new podcast "Confronting Capitalism." He's written a few books, including "The Class Matrix." Recently, a lot of the most unhinged people on Left Twitter got very mad at him for a "Confronting Capitalism" episode he did trying to analyze the historical origins, material dynamics, and counterproductive consequences for the Left of the phenomenon generally referred to by the imperfect name of "wokeness." He joins Ben Burgis to discuss the controversy, and how socialists can be more effective. Before that, Ben does an Opening Argument on Trump and Gaza. Last but definitely not least, in the postgame for patrons, Ben and the crew chat w/Chris Kerrigan, the creator of "Alan Dershowitz vs. Norman Finkelstein: The Musical" and many other delightful videos.Read a transcript of Chibber's controversial Confronting Capitalism episode at Jacobin:https://jacobin.com/2025/01/elite-identity-politics-professional-classCheck out Chris's YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/@HaterChris2011Follow Chris on Twitter: @KerriganRacketFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 7 Episode 2: Debating Abortion Rights w/Spencer Case

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2025 132:30


    Philosophy professor and "Micro-Digressions" host Spencer Case joins Ben Burgis for a friendly debate on abortion rights. Before that, Ben talks about RFK's insane critique of Medicare for All. No postgame, sorry, but we'll make it up to our loyal patrons with a particularly awesome one next time!Check out Micro-Digressions:https://www.youtube.com/@Micro-DigressionsFollow Spencer on Twitter: @ADigressionsFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 7 Episode 1: The Gulf of Liberal Socialism (ft. Matt McManus)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2025 128:46


    A lot has happened since the last episode of GTAA. Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America (thus ending our long national nightmare of having to accept an "of Mexico" body of water touching our sacred American soil), and Matt McManus came to L.A., where he and Ben Burgis did a live event to discuss Matt's book on liberal socialism. Ben's talks about the former (and other possibly more consequential aspects of Trump 2.0) in the Opening Argument, and then we play the full video of the latter. In the postgame for GTAA patrons, Ben and the crew chat with Mark Gurarie, the front man for Teen Driver, a post-punk band with songs like "Rest in Pissinger" and "Debate Me."Check out their Bandcamp:https://teendriver.bandcamp.com/album/no-acBuy Matt's book:https://www.routledge.com/The-Political-Theory-of-Liberal-Socialism/McManus/p/book/9781032647234Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 6 FINALE: Jordan Peterson Wrestles with God/Ben at MSNBC (ft. Matt McManus & Robert Myles)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2024 144:52


    In our last episode before this year's season break, Matt McManus & Robert Myles join Ben Burgis to break down Jordan Peterson's new book "We Who Wrestle with God." (He doesn't seem to have read any more Marx since 2019.) Before that, Ben and the crew take a look at Ben's article at MSNBC about Obama and the various responses it's provoked--a disdainful sniff from uber-popular historian Heather Cox Richardson on her Substack, what can only be described as a right-populist haiku from Steve Bannon, and a whole lot of unhinged reactions from grassroots libs. In the postgame we're joined by Deep State Kuba for a last bit of non-"We Who Wrestle..." JBP-bashing before we hit the road.Read Ben's MSNBC article:https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/barack-obama-democracy-forum-speech-trump-era-rcna183127...and his Substack on Peterson's misunderstandings of Marx:https://benburgis.substack.com/p/did-jordan-peterson-forget-what-marxOrder Matt's book:https://www.routledge.com/The-Political-Theory-of-Liberal-Socialism/McManus/p/book/9781032647234Order Robert's book:https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Class-Conflict-James-Crossley/dp/1803410825Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Robert on Twitter: @robertjmylesFollow Kuba on Twitter: @DrKuba2Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 6 Episode 43: The World is on Fire But Mean Djene & Deep State Kuba Can Talk Us Through It

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 135:58


    [Many apologies about the delay! Lots going on lately. The other delayed ep will be posted by the end of the week.]Jihadists are taking over Aleppo, US missiles are striking deep into Russia, and the atrocities in Gaza have reached the point that a *former Israeli Defense Minister* (and Likud Party member!) recently accused Netanyahu of "ethnic cleansing." This seems like a good time to bring in the foreign policy duo of Mean Djene Bajalan and Deep State Kuba to help Ben Burgis make sense of what the hell is going on around the world.Order Ben's pamphlet "Four Essays on Palestine":https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Read Ben and Djene's co-written article "Calling a Football Riot a Pogrom Insults Historical Memory":https://jacobin.com/2024/11/pogrom-football-amsterdam-israel-antisemitismRead Ben and Kuba's co-written article "Trump Wants to Purge the Deep State So He Can Weaponize It":https://jacobin.com/2024/09/donald-trump-deep-state-authoritarianismFollow Djene on Twitter: @djenebajalanFollow Kuba on Twitter: @DrKuba2Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 6 Episode 42: Matt McManus Talks Liberal Socialism

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2024 124:06


    Ben Burgis welcomes back major friend of the pod Matt to talk his new book: "The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism," in which he "presents a comprehensive guide to the liberal socialist tradition, stretching from Mary Wollstonecraft and Thomas Paine through John Stuart Mill to Irving Howe, John Rawls, and Charles Mills." Buy the book here: https://www.routledge.com/The-Political-Theory-of-Liberal-Socialism/McManus/p/book/9781032647234?srsltid=AfmBOopS7HP7ywGhn4LB27-wBYa_vGV9tmNts-t-GIdllMV_bajrCsQrFollow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 6 Episode 41: Vanessa Wills on Marx's Ethical Vision/Juan David Rojas on Kamala vs. Claudia

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2024 136:08


    Juan David Rojas joins Ben Burgis at the top of the show to discuss the reasons Claudia Sheinbaum romped to victory as an economic populist in Mexico's presidential election a few months before Kamala Harris crashed and burned. (Some liberals would prefer to blame sexism for the latter, but the contrast makes that...a bit implausible!) After that Vanessa, Wills joins us to talk about her fascinating new book "Marx's Ethical Vision." 

    Season 6 Episode 40: One of Us is the Killer (+ Preview of "Four Essays on Palestine" Launch Film)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2024 56:05


    Season 6 Episode 39: From Plato to Marx w/David Lay Williams

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2024 118:50


    David Lay Williams comes on to talk about his excellent new book, "The Greatest of All Plagues: How Economic Inequality Shaped Political Thought from Plato to Marx."Order the book:https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691171975/the-greatest-of-all-plaguesRead Ben's review of the book in Compact:https://www.compactmag.com/article/the-ancient-curse-of-inequality/Order Ben's pamphlet "Four Essays on Palestine":https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Follow David on Twitter: @LayWilliamsFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 38: Talking Palestine w/Deep State Kuba

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024 155:06


    Deep State Kuba joins Ben Burgis for a deep dive into the ongoing atrocities in Palestine--both debunking Zionist apologetics and pushing back against the dumb and counterproductive things leftists sometimes say in the name of Palestine solidarity and crafting a better and more effective message.Order Ben's pamphlet "Four Essays on Palestine" from Everyday Analysis:https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Follow Kuba on Twitter: @DrKuba2Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 37: The Catholic Left (and Also Some Protestants)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2024 109:57


    First-time guest Tony Annett and Matt "I Brought My Own Mic" McManus return for an in-depth look at thinkers like Alasdair McIntyre and Paul Tillich, the relationship between left-wing economic ideas and Catholic social teaching, and more. (Turns out that, while an adamant atheist when "in the streets" arguing about philosophy, Ben is "in the sheets" of political practice extremely friendly to this kind of thing.)The launch event for Ben's pamphlet "Four Essays on Palestine" is going to be in October 22nd at 7:30 PM in Los Angeles (at Lawless Brewing Co. in North Hollywood) w/a panel in the beer garden with Ben, Jason Myles and Ana Kasparian. Tickets come with a copy of the book:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/four-essays-on-palestine-launch-wben-burgis-ana-kasparian-jason-myles-tickets-1039381567247Or order the pamphlet from Everyday Analysis:https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Read Tony's essay "The Theology of Social Democracy" at Commonweal:https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/theology-social-democracyRead Matt's essay "The Left Should Take Alasdair MacIntyre Seriously" at Jacobin:https://jacobin.com/2024/09/alasdair-macintyre-marxism-morality-liberalismFollow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Tony on Twitter: @tonyannettFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 36: Debunking the Many Bad Arguments Made By Israel's Apologists in the West

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2024 106:12


    On the one-year anniversary of Hamas's atrocities on October 7th, which have been used as a pretext for unfathomably worse atrocities for the last year, Ben Burgis does an on-air version of his lecture "Debunking the Many Bad Arguments Made By Israel's Apologists in the West" which he gave as a teach-in at the encampment at Princeton last April, and before that as a presentation to Metro Detroit DSA & Wayne State University YDSA. (Sadly, we couldn't line up anyone to record either of those!) Before that, Ben and the crew talk about the VP debate, the successful strike that shut down ports across the East Coast last week (and the shameful failure of many liberals to support it), and a petition to posthumously exonerate Ethel Rosenberg. In the postgame for patrons, they watch Ta-Nehesi Coates being grilled on CBS.The launch event for Ben's pamphlet "Four Essays on Palestine" is going to be in October 22nd at 7:30 PM in Los Angeles (at Lawless Brewing Co. in North Hollywood) w/a panel in the beer garden with Ben, Jason Myles and Ana Kasparian. Tickets come with a copy of the book:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/four-essays-on-palestine-launch-wben-burgis-ana-kasparian-jason-myles-tickets-1039381567247Or order the pamphlet from Everyday Analysis:https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Sing the Ethel Rosenberg petition:https://www.rfc.org/exonerate-ethel?utm_id=120213379584320359Read the MSNBC article about the strike on the docks:https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/dock-workers-strike-sent-powerful-message-bosses-workers-rcna173849Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 35: Ukraine War Update w/Danny & Derek from American Prestige

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2024 99:58


    We talk some Marxism, and then Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison of the American Prestige podcast join us to talk about their article "America Must Grapple With the Limits of Ukraine's Kursk Offensive":https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/america-must-grapple-limits-ukraines-kursk-offensive-212795Order Ben's Palestine pamphlet:https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Petition for the Smith College workers:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJQYFJvYHoxnVFEBJfKqNR3eeyvWrc5RTw4zsYpBcEgSZpyw/viewformFollow Danny on Twitter: @dbessnerFollow Derek on Twitter: @dwdavisonFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 34: Inequality Debate w/Will Cooper/Anti-Haitian Racism from Yarvin to Trump

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2024 115:15


    Will Cooper, op-ed columnist and author of "How America Works ... And Why It Doesn't," joins Ben Burgis for a friendly debate on how much economic inequality is too much. In an article for Newsweek, Cooper argued that America is much too unequal but he also said that:"And, importantly, there's nothing necessarily wrong with some people getting rich. A relatively large amount of inequality should even be encouraged. Hard work and ingenuity should be rewarded, as wealth first needs to be created before it can be redistributed. And business success stories motivate others to innovate and take risks that improve society at large. Innovation would plummet if entrepreneurs had severe caps on their income."As a socialist, Ben has a different perspective! So, lots to talk about.Before that, Ben and the crew look at the spiraling insanity coming out of Trump and Vance signal-boosting insane racist urban legends about Haitian refugees, and look back at the taste of the virulent anti-Haitian racism on the contemporary Right that Ben got two years ago when he debated Curtis Yarvin. Finally, Mean Djene Bajalan joins for the postgame for patrons. A good time all around.Order Ben's "Four Essays on Palestine":https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Read Will's Newsweek piece:https://www.newsweek.com/there-too-much-inequality-america-opinion-1900008Get his book:https://www.amazon.com/How-America-Works-Why-Doesnt/dp/1802472061?dplnkId=54bafbb6-a95d-4ab0-9465-bbfca4be83a7Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 33: Norm Finkelstein on Robin DiAngelo/Matt McManus on Charlie Kirk

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2024 123:50


    Stormin' Norman Finkelstein joins us in the first half of the show to talk to Ben Burgis about the rise and fall of Robin DiAngelo. Then for the second half we switch to examining the other side of the aisle with a conversation with Matt McManus about his very funny review of Charlie Kirk's latest....let's just say "book," "Right-Wing Revolution: How to Beat the Woke and Save the West." Last but not least, Matt's sticks around the postgame for patrons, where we may look into Matt Walsh's thoughts about movies.Read Matt's Kirk review:https://sublationmedia.com/beating-the-woke-by-friendly-deception/Order Ben's "Four Essays on Palestine":https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Read Norm's Substack:https://normanfinkelstein.substack.com/Follow Norm on Twitter: @normfinkelsteinFollow Matt on Twitter: @mattpolprofFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 32: Debating Palestine w/Walter Block

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2024 139:21


    Do Palestinians have the same rights as everyone else, or have they collectively forfeited these rights by being "criminals"? In an article for Merion West, libertarian economist Walter Block argued the latter:https://merionwest.com/2024/06/07/yes-to-a-palestinian-state-just-not-inside-or-right-next-to-israel/Ben Burgis responded:https://merionwest.com/2024/06/10/in-reply-to-walter-block-relocation-should-be-off-the-table/...and Walter responded to that:https://merionwest.com/2024/07/06/why-i-stand-by-relocation-a-rejoinder-to-ben-burgis/Now here's the debate.Link for Andy's fundraiser so he can keep making art for this show!https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-j-andrew-world-replace-his-ipadFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 31: Mastering the Universe w/Rob Larson

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 144:01


    The people's econ prof, Rob Larson, joins us to talk about his new book, "Mastering the Universe: The Obscene Wealth of the Ruling Class, What They Do With Their Money, and Why You Should Hate Them Even More." Before that, Ben and the crew talk about the highlights and the (sadly more numerous) lowlights of the DNC. In the postgame for patrons, they watch Tim Pool be very confused about labor unions.Contribute to Andy's GoFundMe so he can continue making great art for this show, for his own show, the Substack, etc.:https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-j-andrew-world-replace-his-ipadPreorder Ben's pamphlet "Four Essays on Palestine" from Everyday Analysis:https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Order Rob's book:https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2215-mastering-the-universeFollow Rob on Twitter: @IronicProfessorFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 30: Is Kamala a Kammunist? Is Vance a Populist? (ft. Nathan J. Robinson)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2024 116:37


    Current Affairs editor Nathan J. Robinson joins us once again to talk about Peter Thiel's favorite "populist," J.D. Vance, the (sadly inaccurate) hysteria from Trump, Musk and the New York Post about Kamala Harris being to the left of Bernie and possibly even a revolutionary communist, and his "anti-socialist bingo" card. Before that, Ben and the crew take a moment to remember Michael Brooks, whose 41st birthday would have been last Tuesday. No postgame this week--sorry about that, it's Ben's neighbor on Podcast Street Jason's birthday today so Ben promised to wrap things up by 7 West Coast time--but we'll make the main show worthwhile.Read Nathan at Current Affairs:https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/author/nathan-j-robinsonPreorder Ben's pamphlet "Four Essays on Palestine" from Everyday Analysis:https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Follow Nathan on Twitter: @nathanjrobinsonFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 29: Lukacs and the Destruction of Reason

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024 127:26


    Matt McManus and Daniel Tutt join Ben Burgis to talk about Marxist theoretician Georg Lukács's analysis of right-wing thought in his book, "The Destruction of Reason."Preorder Ben's pamphlet "Four Essays on Palestine" from Everyday Analysis:https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Read Daniel's article on Lukács:https://cosmonautmag.com/2022/02/the-question-of-worldview-and-class-struggle-in-philosophy-on-the-relevance-of-lukacss-worldview-marxism-and-the-destruction-of-reason/Read Matt's article on Lukács:https://jacobin.com/2023/09/georg-lukacs-irrationalism-right-wing-thought-philosophyFollow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Daniel on Twitter: @DanielTuttFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 28: We Have Bernie at Home (ft. Jason Myles)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2024 157:00


    This is Revolution host Jason Myles joined Ben Burgis and the GTAA crew to chat about his new essay "This is What You Want, This is What You Get," which uses the classic Eddie Murphy "We've got McDonalds at home" bit to talk about the election and the overall state of American politics at a moment when hope for anything substantially better than what we've got is rapidly leeching away.Preorder Ben's pamphlet "Four Essays on Palestine" from Everyday Analysis:https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Read Jason's essay on TiR's Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/posts/crisis-papers-1-109535204Follow Jason on Twitter: @J_Myles_TiRFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 27: Understanding Capitalism w/Prof. Richard Wolff (+ RM Brown on the Election)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2024 133:59


    Prof. Richard Wolff came back on the show after a too-long absence to talk about his (as you'll see, apparently quite dangerous) new book "Understanding Capitalism." We talked with him him in the first hour and then our friend RM Brown came by to chat about the election in the second hour and into the postgame for patrons. Follow Prof. Wolff on Twitter: @profwolffFollow RM Brown on Twitter: @xrmbrownx2Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 26: It's Good that Biden Dropped Out. But He Should Be on Trial at the Hague.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 115:00


    In the first half hour of the show, the GTAA crew takes a look at the insanity at the RNC and Biden dropping out. Then director Kavitha Chekuru chats with Ben about her very good but extremely disturbing Al Jazeera documentary, "The Night Won't End: Biden's War on Gaza."Watch the documentary here:The Night Won't End: Biden's War on Gaza Follow Kavitha on Twitter: @KaviChekFollow RM on Twitter: @xrmbrownx2Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 25: Fine. You Win. We'll Do an Election-News Episode.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2024 108:32


    [Note: This episode was recorded before the coconut dropped on Biden actually dropping out.]We had something else planned but between the assassination attempt, the JD Vance pick, the RNC, and Biden continuing to do his best impression of an extra from Night of the Living Dead, it seems like the universe really wanted us to just talk about the election tonight. So fine. You win this one. Guest is the one and only Deep State Kuba.Follow Kuba on Twitter: @DrKuba2Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 24: Karl Marx's Theory of History (ft. Matt McManus)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2024 154:30


    Matt McManus returns to hash out the arguments in G.A. Cohen's book "Karl Marx's Theory of History" with Ben Burgis. Before that, Ben and the crew take a look at Ben's post-debate interactions with YouTube personality Steven Bonnell ("Destiny"). No postgame on this one, but we make the main show count!Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 23: What the F*** Was That? (Ben's Debate w/Destiny)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2024 137:38


    Last week Ben Burgis had a debate on Israel/Palestine with YouTube personality Steven Bonnell ("Destiny").It went...oddly.In this episode we break it all down.Watch the debate at MDD:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdMRphk7ij4Follow Destiny on Twitter: @TheOmniLiberalFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 22: The Vanquished (ft. Anders Lee & Freddy G.)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2024 134:37


    Anders Lee and Freddy G. come on to chat with Ben Burgis about their new-ish podcast The Vanquished, where they profile losing presidential candidates over the decades. We'll dig into a handful of their favorites. Before that, Ben and the crew talk about his upcoming Israel/Palestine debate with YouTube personality Steven Bonnell ("Destiny"). Last but definitely not least, returning champ Ryan Zickgraf hangs out in the postgame for patrons. This is a fun one.Listen to The Vanquished:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-vanquished/id1735216373?i=1000651259339Follow Anders on Twitter: @andersleehereFollow Freddy on Twitter: @OrangeFreddyGFollow Ryan on Twitter: @ryan_zickgrafFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 21: Jeet Heer on Marty Peretz

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2024 155:29


    The Nation's Jeet Heer joins Ben Burgis to discuss his article "Friends and Enemies: Marty Peretz and the Travails of American Liberalism." You might not know who Marty Peretz is but you've unfortunately seen his handiwork--Anthony Blinken, for example, is a Peretz protege. So is Jim Cramer. The man's got a lot to answer for, and Jeet gets into all of it.Before that, the great RM Brown joins us for a freewheeling discussion of Dave Rubin, Jimmy Dore and much more. And in the postgame for patrons, Ben and the crew watch a very different Jeet Heer interview--Jeet's appearance on the Jesse Lee Peterson show. Don't miss that.Follow Jeet on Twitter: @HeerJeetFollow RM on Twitter: @xrmbrownx2Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 20: Exiting the Vampire's Castle (ft. Daniel Tutt)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2024 129:18


    Daniel Tutt joins us again for a deep dive on Mark Fisher's classic essay "Exiting the Vampire's Castle" (heavily featured in Ben Burgis's book "Canceling Comedians While the World Burns: A Critique of the Contemporary Left"). Before that, Ben and the crew talk about NYU's bizarre reeducation program for student Palestine protesters. In the postgame for patrons, Matthew Whalan joins us to watch the last part of Cenk Uygur and Dave Smith's debate on Israel, Palestine & Iran with Batya Ungar-Sargon & Dennis Prager.Read Fisher's essay:https://opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/exiting-vampire-castle/Buy Ben's book:https://redemmas.org/titles/34877-canceling-comedians-while-the-world-burns-a-critique-of-the-contemporary-left/Buy Daniel's book:https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/740015/how-to-read-like-a-parasite-by-daniel-tutt/Buy tickets to the livestream of the event in DC:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/clr-james-and-the-struggle-for-socialism-in-america-livestream-tickets-920347773967Follow Daniel on Twitter: @DanielTuttFollow Matthew on Twitter: @VernonWhalanFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 19: Tucker Carlson & Dugin (ft. Matt McManus & C. Derrick Varn)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2024 149:27


    This time we bring on the big guns--political science professor Matt McManus and Varn Vlog host C. Derrick Varn--to help Ben Burgis watch Tucker Carlson's interview with Russian fascist intellectual Aleksandr Dugin. This interview is basically GTAA catnip. Before that, we introduce new GTAA intern Aidan, talking about the protests at UCLA, and we do a quick wellness checks on Dennis Prager. Last but definitely not least, Varn and Jason Myles hang out in the postgame for patrons.Watch Varn Vlog:https://www.youtube.com/@VarnVlogFollow Varn on Twitter: @VarnVlogFollow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Jason on Twitter: @J_Myles_TiRFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 18: Ben's Munk Debate w/Jamie Kirchick (ft. David Griscom & Matthew Whalan)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2024 156:01


    David Griscom and Matthew Whalan join Ben Burgis to listen to Ben's debate on the Munk Debates podcast with neoconservative commentator Jamie Kirchick on, "Be it resolved, the campus protesters are on the right side of history."Before that, Ben and the crew talk about Biden's reception by anti-war students at Morehouse (where Ben used to teach) and Ben's Jacobin review of Mark Robert Rank's interesting but flawed book "The Random Factor: How Chance and Luck Profoundly Shape Our Lives and the World Around Us." Rank stops short of realizing that, if wealth and poverty have as much to do with the luck of the draw as he says, capitalism is indefensible.Finally, and on the subject of capitalism and the alternative to it, in the postgame for patrons, we take a look at some one-star reviews of the Communist Manifesto.Read the "Random Factor" review:https://jacobin.com/2024/05/random-factor-inequality-capitalism-reviewFollow David on Twitter: @DavidGriscomFollow Matthew on Twitter: @VernonWhalanFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 17: Bill Maher & Morning Joe are Full of Sh*t on Palestine/Jordan Chariton on Flint

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2024 129:50


    Jordan Chariton comes on GTAA for the first time to chat about his new documentary "Flint Fatigue." Before that, RM Brown comes by to watch some Bill Maher and Morning Joe. Last but not least, we watch Ben's keynote speech at last week's convention of the Green Party of New Jersey. (No postgame this week, sorry!)Watch the documentary:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skA8m33jJMYSign up for Ben's Capital class starting next Sunday:patreon.com/benburgis/joinMore info on the class:https://benburgis.substack.com/p/marx-class-starting-on-may-12thFollow Jordan on Twitter: @JordanCharitonFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 16: Friendly Marxism Debate w/Spencer Case & Talking NJ Palestine Organizing

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2024 122:03


    Ben Burgis is freshly back from New Jersey where among other things he did a Palestine teach-in at the Princeton encampment. He also recently sat down for a friendly debate with goodhearted but right-leaning philosophy podcaster Spencer Case. We watch most of that and then bring on Rutgers professor and New Jersey Uncommitted organizer Elektra Kostopoulou to talk about her Palestine activism and (a little bit) about her related academic work. Eleketra also sticks around for the postgame for GTAA patrons.Watch the full interview on Spencer's podcast:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ57COJSIIUCheck out the Uncommitted campaign in NJ:https://uncommittednj.org/Here's some coverage of the Rutgers-Newark encampment:https://www.pbs.org/video/rutgers-protest-1714597214/Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 6 Episode 15: Fascism is When Austrian Painter (ft. Daniel Bessner & Daniel Steinmetz-Jenkins)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2024 114:16


    Two of our favorite Daniels--Bessner and Steinmetz-Jenkins--join Ben Burgis to talk about the Daniels' Jacobin article "Liberals' Heated Fascism Rhetoric Sidesteps Self-Reflection" and the broader debate on the relationship between Trumpism and Fascism.Read the article:https://jacobin.com/2024/04/liberals-fascism-rhetoric-democrats-electionFollow Daniel (Bessner) on Twitter: @dbessnerFollow Daniel (Steinmetz-Jenkins) on Twitter: @daniel_dsj2110Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 13: Who's Afraid of Collectivism?/Ben on MSNBC & SiriusXM

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2024 137:47


    [Scheduling: Sorry to be releasing these slightly out of order--things got messed up with traveling and etc. but Ep. 15 should be coming out in a couple days, then Ep. 16 on Saturday and we'll be caught up!]Friend of the show Jordan Peterson recently referred to Luke Savage as an "idiot socialist." This week we talk to Luke himself (as well as actual-friend-of-show Matt McManus) about the article that got Dr. Peterson's attention--"Don't Fear Collectivism":https://jacobin.com/2024/04/collectivism-individualism-socialismWe're also watching GTAA host Ben Burgis's clips from the MSNBC documentary XCLD: The Story of Cancel Culture, as well as listening to Ben's recent appearance with Laura Coates on SiriusXM.Follow Luke on Twitter: @LukewSavageFollow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Season 6 Episode 14: Alexander Herbert on Lenin/Ben on WABC/Watching Tucker in the Postgame

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2024 130:10


    Alexander Herbert, a historian of the Soviet Union, joins us to chat about his Substack essay "Do We Really Need Lenin Today?" Before that, Ben Burgis and the GTAA crew listen to some of Ben's recent appearance on the WABC show "The Other Side of Midnight" where he answers some questions from host Frank Marano about objections to his views on Gaza. In the postgame for patrons, we watch Tucker Carlson's deeply strange appearance on the Joe Rogan ExperienceRead Alex's essay:https://alexherbert.substack.com/p/do-we-really-need-lenin-todayFollow Alex on Twitter: @alextherbertFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 6 Episode 12: Jay Ponti on QAnon, Trump, and "Neo-Fascism"

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2024 113:19


    Jay Ponti, the author of "Be The Revolution: How Occupy Wall Street and the Bernie Sanders Movement Reshaped American Politics" joins Ben Burgis to talk about the chapter on QAnon, Trump, and "neo-fascism"--including some surprising personal connections. Before that, Ben and the crew will be joined joined by the great RM Brown to watch, among other things, Charlie Kirk lose his mind on the subject of Haitian voodo.Order Jay's book:https://www.amazon.com/Be-Revolution-Movement-Reshaped-American/dp/B0CLJXZ5Q5Follow him on Twitter: @jaypontiFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Thursday Night Debate Breakdown: Sam Seder vs. Majority Report Caller On Social Security

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2024 87:55


    Ben Burgis and J. Andrew World continue the weekly series of Thursday Night Debate Breakdowns by watching Sam Seder debate a Majority Report caller who called him a "f---ing idiot" on Twitter for his position on Social Security.Follow Andy on Twitter: @rightaboutnow2Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Q & A Stream / Exciting 4/1 Announcement / Shapiro vs. Owens

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2024 107:30


    No full episode this week, but Ben and the crew do an exciting announcement, check in on Ben Shapiro vs. Candace Owens, and take viewer Q & A.Smith College petition:https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/smith-college-community-in-support-of-college-hall-protestorsFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.com

    Season 6 Episode 11: Nathan Robinson on His Debate w/Destiny

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2024 96:49


    David Griscom joins us at the top of the show, then Current Affairs editor Nathan J. Robinson chats with Ben about his Israel/Palestine debate with liberal politics streamer Steven Bonnell aka "Destiny." Jason Myles hangs out in the postgame for patrons.Follow Nathan on Twitter: @NathanJRobinsonFollow Jason on Twitter: @J_Myles_TiRFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

    Thursday Night Debate Breakdown: Norman Finkelstein vs. Rabbi Shmuley

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2024 144:00


    Matthew Whalan once again joins Ben Burgis for a Thursday Night Debate Breakdown. This week they're watching (actual!) friend of the show Norm Finkelstein taking on Rabbi Shmuley on Israel/Palestine on Piers Morgan's show.Read Matthew's Substack:https://matthewvernonwhalan.substack.comFollow Matthew on Twitter: @VernonWhalanFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

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