Give Them An Argument
Give Them An Argument is a YouTube show and podcast hosted by Ben Burgis that aims to build a smarter, funnier, and more strategic Left. New episodes air live on YouTube on Monday nights, with a postgame segment for patrons. The show features interviews and debates with guests from left politics and media, including Slavoj Žižek, Richard Wolff, Glenn Greenwald, Krystal Ball, and Sam Seder. Ben Burgis is a philosophy professor, Jacobin columnist, and frequent debater who previously did a regular segment on The Michael Brooks Show.
Episodes
What Would a Socialist Foreign Policy Look Like? (ft. Deep State Kuba and Jason Myles) (Podcast Version)
In this crossover with THIS IS REVOLUTION podcast, Ben Burgis and Jason Myles chat with Deep State Kuba about socialist foreign policy and in particular how a post-capitalist society of the kind described in Ben's new book (co-written w/Bhaskar Sunkara and Mike Beggs) could interact with, and survive its interactions with, the surrounding capitalist world.Pre-order the book from worker-owned
Don't RETVRN: Liberal Modernity as the Basis for Socialism (ft. Matt McManus and Florian Maiwald)
Florian Maiwald and Matt McManus join Ben Burgis to discuss Florian's essays in Matt's new book, "What is Liberal Socialism?" (and the larger themes of the collection).Order Matt's book:https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/826323/what-is-liberal-socialism-by-matt-mcmanus/Pre-order Florian's new book:https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/zer0-books/our-books/outsourc
Is Capitalism REALLY the Best We Can Do? (Ben Burgis Lecture in Michigan)
Last Thursday, Ben Burgis gave the first lecture of the new year at the Ethics Center at Western Michigan University, to talk about the themes of his new book (co-written with Bhaskar Sunkara and Mike Beggs), "The Blueprint: How Socialism Can Work in the Real World." (Lecture starts around the 5:30 mark.)Register to attend the launch event in September 29th in Los Angeles:https://moondou
Ben Burgis Goes on Israeli TV and DEBUNKS Mayo-Brained Talking Points
Yesterday, Ben Burgis went on English-language Israeli cable channel i24 to argue about the role of Israel/Palestine in the rise of the democratic socialist left in the United States. We'll play the whole segment and break it down!Read the Jacobin article mentioned in the episode ("The Problem With Israel Is So Much Bigger Than Netanyahu"):https://jacobin.com/2025/08/democrats-berni
Socialism and Human Nature (ft. Matt McManus)
Matt McManus joins Ben Burgis to talk about Matt’s new article “Socialists Aren’t Naive About Human Nature,” and more generally about why attempts to base anti-socialist arguments on human imperfection miss the point.Read Matt’s article:https://jacobin.com/2026/07/socialism-human-nature-moralityFollow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was ha
A Socialist's Dialogue with Liberalism (ft. Matt McManus)
Matt McManus joins Ben to talk about Matt's new article on Marxist philosopher G.A. Cohen's "engagement with the best of the liberal tradition," and to wrap up Matt and Ben's conversation about Cohen from the last time Matt was on the show.Read Matt's article:https://www.liberalcurrents.com/a-socialists-dialogue-with-liberalism/?ref=articles-and-essays-newslettertRead
The Iran War’s Most Embarrassingly Wrong Pundits (ft. Branko Marcetic)
Branko Marcetic and Ben Burgis count down the commentators who were most embarrassingly wrong about Iran.Read Branko's article:https://jacobin.com/2026/07/iran-war-pundits-fox-trumpFollow Branko on Twitter: @BMarchetichFollow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!]Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occ
Meet Socialist Congressional Candidate Oliver Larkin
Oliver Larkin is a DSA-endorsed candidate running for Congress in FL-25.Check out his campaign website:https://www.oliverforcongress.com/issuesFollow him on Twitter: @OliverALarkinFollow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!]Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to
The Myth of Red Texas (ft. David Griscom)
David Griscom joins us to talk about his excellent new book "The Myth of Red Texas: Cowboys, Populism, and Class War in the Radical South." Also, happy birthday to our Texan graphic designer J. Andrew World!Order the book:https://redemmas.org/titles/47536-the-myth-of-red-texas-cowboys-populism-and-class-war-in-the-radical-south/Follow David on Twitter: @DavidGriscomFollow Ben on Twitter
Debate Breakdown: Batya Ungar-Sargon vs. Brad Lander (ft. Cynthia Cook)
Pro-Trump pundit Batya Ungar-Sargon sat down with left-wing Congressional candidate Brad Lander to berate him about Israel and other subjects. Ben Burgis and Cynthia Cook give it a watch.Read Ben's article "DSA’s Critics Are Missing the Point About the Working Class" in Jacobin:https://jacobin.com/2026/07/class-politics-dsa-media-criticismRead the Michael Lange breakdown of the exit
Matt McManus and Ben Burgis Have a New Book on G.A. Cohen, Out Today!
Ben Burgis chats with Matt McManus about Matt's Jacobin article "Gad Saad Is Very Mad That His Books Are Bad and Sad."Read the article:https://jacobin.com/2026/05/saad-empa...Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!]Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from oc
Gad Saad Is Very Mad That His Books Are Bad and Sad (ft. Matt McManus)
Ben Burgis chats with Matt McManus about Matt's Jacobin article "Gad Saad Is Very Mad That His Books Are Bad and Sad."Read the article:https://jacobin.com/2026/05/saad-empathy-conservatism-book-reviewFollow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!]Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous
Debate Breakdown: Medhi Hasan vs. PBD
Victor Bruzzone joins Ben Burgis to break down Medhi Hasan's recent conversation with Patrick Bet-David about Israel, free speech, imperial expansionism, and more.Follow Victor on Twitter: @victorbruzzoneFollow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!]Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-e
Well, That Went Well: Talking Iran with Mean Djene Bajalan
When Trump announced the war at the end of February, he said the goal was to bring "freedom" the people of Iran. Over and over again in the weeks of fighting, he said he'd settle for nothing less than "unconditional surrender." At one point, he said that if Iran didn't bend the knee he would "destroy" their "civilization."So...what happened? And wh
Dialogue on Left and Right Populism w/Sohrab Ahmari (YouTube Version)
Last month in New York City, Ben Burgis and Sohrab Ahmari sat down for an in-person dialogue on left- and right- "populism." Here it is!Follow Sohrab on Twitter: @SohrabAhmariFollow Cynthia on Twitter: @c_cook1988Follow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!]Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occas
Hegelian Marxism vs. Analytical Marxism (ft. Matt McManus + Michael Lazarus)
Ben Burgis is joined by Michael Lazarus (author of "Absolute Ethical Life: Aristotle, Hegel and Marx") and Matt McManus (who needs no introduction to GTAA fans) for a fun three-way exchange on "analytical Marxism" (the tradition Ben works in), Michael's more Hegel-inflected version of Marxism, and Matt's sympathies with both sides.Order Michael's book:https://www
Debate on Socialism with Jillian Michaels
Last week Ben Burgis and Jillian Michaels hashed out their disagreements on socialism in an in-person debate in Michaels's studio in LA. Here it is!Follow Jillian on Twitter: @JillianMichaelsFollow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!]Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive cont
Western Marxism Through the Looking Glass (ft. Matt McManus)
Matt McManus discusses his review of Gabriel Rockhill's Temu-Stalinist conspiracy theory of "western Marxism."Read Matt's review of Rockhill's "Who Paid the Pipers of Western Marxism?" in Damage magazine:https://www.damagemag.com/p/western-marxism-through-the-lookingFollow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa
Philosophers Debate the War in Iran
A day late because Ben had to write a Jacobin article about all this instead of doing the episode (sorry about that!) but there's a lot to cover. Last Friday he recorded a debate on the war in Iran (hosted by philosopher Spencer Case). In this episode, we play the debate and chat a little bit about the truly bizarre developments since it was recorded. Ben argues that it's good to be clea
Analytical Marxism and Democratic Socialism in the 21st Century: Revisiting G.A. Cohen
Last week at York University in Toronto, there was a panel to pre-launch a book of essays called "Analytical Marxism and Democratic Socialism in the 21st Century: Revisitng G.A. Cohen" co-edited by Ben Burgis and Matt McManus. Contributors Les Jacobs and Christine Sypnowich spoke first, then Matt and Ben. Q&A includes some spicy exchanges on dialectics and whether analytical Marxism
RIP Habermas (ft. Matt McManus)
Matt McManus joins to discuss the complicated legacy of philosopher Jürgen Habermas, who died last Saturday.Read Matt's article "Jürgen Habermas Showed What Philosophy Could Be" in Jacobin:https://jacobin.com/2026/03/habermas-obituary-critical-theory-philosophyFollow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowConsider donating to
Matt McManus Read Nick Land So You Don't Have To
Returning champ Matt McManus joins us once again, this time to explore a reactionary weirdo who somehow hasn't been the subject of a GTAA episode yet!Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowConsider donating to Andy's GoFundMe so he can replace his computer and fully go back to doing what he does best:https://www.gofundme.com
Of All the Dumb Wars, This One is Somehow the Dumbest
We're back, baby!Ben Burgis breaks down the idiotic arguments made by the MAGA faithful in defense of Trump's decision to wage an unprovoked, illegal, open-ended war against a country with far more capacity to defend itself than Afghanistan had in 2001 or Iraq in 2003, and makes the case that opposing it isn't just a question of anti-imperialism or harm-minimization (though it certa
Talking MAGA’s Intellectuals with Laura Field and Matt McManus
Ben Burgis and Matt McManus chat with Laura K. Field about her excellent new book "Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right."Order the book::https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691255262/furious-mindsFollow Laura on Twitter: @lkatfieldFollow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive
Curtis Yarvin Stops Being Coy About Fascism
Deep State Kuba and New York Cynthia join Ben Burgis to talk about Curtis Yarvin's demented new essay "The Situation and the Solution."Follow Kuba on Twitter: @DrKuba2Follow Cynthia on Twitter; @c_cook1988Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to
Why Everyone Should Read Vivek Chibber
Marxist Twitter has been fighting about Vivek Chibber lately. Ben Burgis takes the opportunity to address the immediate controversy but also the much broader value of Chibber's work.Read the Jacobin Chibber interview on the origins of capitalism that everyone is freaking out about:https://jacobin.com/2025/12/colonialism-transition-feudalism-capitalism-history-economyRead Ben's essay &quo
Is "Elite Capture" the Problem with Identity Politics?
Ben Burgis talks about why he doesn't buy Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò's defense of identity politics in Táíwò's book "Elite Capture: How the Powerful Took Over Identity Politics (And Everything Else)."Check out the book:https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1867-elite-captureRead Ben's review:https://damagemag.com/2025/06/11/uncaptured-identity-politics-is-no-substitute-for-a-po
Are Service Workers and Public Sector Employees Part of the Proletariat?
Are service workers part of the "productive" part of the working class? And what does that mean? How about public sector employees--if they're not productive workers, does that mean that their interests don't align with productive workers and socialists shouldn't support the welfare state after all?Ben Burgis talks about what the Trotskyist leader and Marxist economist Ern
Ana Kasparian Tries to Teach Bill Maher Basic Things About Palestine
Many-time GTAA guest Ana Kasparian went on Bill Maher's podcast Club Random. Ben Burgis watches the part where they argue about Gaza and breaks it down.Read Ben's article "The “Human Shields” Defense of Bombing Gaza’s Civilians Is Morally Bankrupt":https://jacobin.com/2023/11/human-shields-bombing-gaza-palestine-israel-defense-forces-morally-bankruptFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenB
Fuentes is a Symptom
Nick Fuentes is comically vile.So, why is it so hard to exile him to whatever dark corner of the discourse he deserves to go back to?One problem is that, when the whole landscape is soaking in ethnic essentialism, it's hard to draw the line at one particular version.Read Ben's essay:https://benburgis.substack.com/p/fuentes-is-a-symptomLink for Andy's show:https://www.facebook.com/ev
The Penguin Edition of Marx's Capital is So Much Better Than the Princeton
The new edition of "Capital" has been getting a lot of buzz.But...guys...it's really bad.Read Ben's essay:benburgis.substack.com/p/in-defense-of-the-fowkes-translationRead Matt Huber's thread:https://x.com/Matthuber78/status/1962512243343385070Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from
Zohran is Right and the Online Left is Wrong
Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani's critics on the Left think he's a sell-out for not backing a primary challenge against Hakeem Jeffries or firing Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Some of them are about ready to denounce him as a fascist collaborator for sitting down with Donald Trump. Do any of these arguments add up?Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome
Trump: We Lost Vietnam and Iraq Because of Woke
Donald Trump, who we keep hearing is a peacemaker, said his speech for the 250th anniversary of the founding of Navy that the U.S. only lost the wars in Vietnam and Afghanistan because we got too "woke" about war tactics. Ben Burgis breaks it down.Get tickets to the election night show in NYC:https://www.barfreda.com/#/events/156966Read Ben's article in Jacobin:https://jacobin.com/2
The Labor Theory of Value and Marx's Theory of Exploitation
Both supporters and opponents of the Labor Theory of Value often assume that the LTV and Marx's theory of capitalist exploitation are a package deal. Others, like G.A. Cohen, have questioned that link. Ben Burgis takes a look at the debate, arguing that these two ideas are related...but not in the way a lot of people assume.Sign up for Ben's Capital classes at patreon.com/benburgisFollow
Krystal Ball vs. Saagar Enjeti: Is it “Neo-Confederate” to Refuse to Cooperate with ICE?
Last week, Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti had an interesting mini-debate on whether states and cities that don't cooperate with ICE are doing something wrong on the grounds that it involves a "neo-Confederate" rejection of federal supreamcy. Ben Burgis breaks it down.Watch the 32-hour workweek video previewed at the end:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr35Wr0H9mMFollow Ben on Twitte
Curtis Yarvin Says We Can't Handle the Truth
Ambiguously fascist JD Vance guru Curtis Yarvin has written an odd little essay called "You Can't Handle the Truth." Ben Burgis responds!Read the essay:https://graymirror.substack.com/p/you-cant-handle-the-truthRead Matt McManus's essay on Yarvin:https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/curtis-yarvin-thiel-carlyle-monarchism-reactionaryFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on
Robert Nozick's Wilt Chamberlain Argument Against Redistribution
Libertarian philosopher Robert Nozick made a classical argument against redistributing wealth and economic resources in his book "Anarchy, State & Utopia" based on a thought experiment about the basketball player Wilt Chamberlain. Marxist philosopher G.A. Cohen takes it apart piece by piece. Ben Burgis discusses!Read Ben's article about this in Jacobin:https://jacobin.com/2024/1
Debunking Pro-Israel Talking Points on Gaza
Today is the 2-year anniversary of the beginning of the genocide in Gaza. Ben Burgis breaks the absurdity and evil of the way many people have tried to defend it, and puts the issue in a larger context.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 a
Democrats are Screwing Up the Shutdown
Ben Burgis talks about his Jacobin article "Democrats are Screwing Up the Shutdown" and subsequent developments.Read the article:https://jacobin.com/2025/10/democrats-shutdown-health-care-bernie-aocFollow 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
Breaking Down Zohran on The View
It's Friday! Let's end the week with something fun and watch Zohran sparring with the ladies on The View about Palestine, electability, 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 goi
Is Analytic Philosophy a Dead End for the Left?
That's the claim made by Neil Vallelly in a shockingly poorly-informed article for Jacobin (reviewing Christopher Schuringa's book "A Social History of Analytical Philosophy"). Jacobin editor Nick French defended analytic philosophy in a counterpoint review of the same book ("Is Analytic Philosophy a Class Ideology?") published the same day. In this episode, Ben Burgi
Trump Classifies "Anti-Capitalism" as Political Violence Pre-Crime
Trump's new national security directive classifies all of the following as indicators of incipient political violence that need to be investigated and disrupted before they come to fruition:• anti-Americanism,• anti-capitalism,• anti-Christianity,• support for the overthrow of the United States Government,• extremism on migration,• extremism on race,• extremism on gender• hostility towards th
Missing the Point About Charlie Kirk
Ben Burgis addresses the controversy about the article he and Meagan Day wrote about political violence and free speech after the Charlie Kirk assassination, all of the ways the most tedious and unhelpful people on the Left found to miss the point, and the broader perils of this moment.Read the original article:https://jacobin.com/2025/09/charlie-kirk-murder-political-violenceFollow Meagan on Twit
Richard Wolff and Ben Burgis Address a Socialist Conference in Mexico City
We're back! This last weekend, Ben Burgis was at an international conference of socialist, communist, and labor parties in Mexico City hosted by the Partido del Trabajo (the smallest but furthest left of the three parties in Claudia Sheinbaum's coalition). He introduced Richard Wolff to the assembled delegates, and Wolff have a barn burner of a talk outlining just what's happened to
Season 7 Episode 25: Jake Departure/Season Finale/Fun Shit
After a four-year run on the show, Producer Jake is saying goodbye. (Although presumably he'll be saying "hello" again on some future episodes as a guest.) One of his predecessors, Producer Cale, joins us to see the lad off. Jay Zeroni, who's never been a GTAA producer but is still a good guy, joins us in the postgame for patrons. We're having some fun with our Season 7 fi
Season 7 Episode 24: Meagan Day vs. the Tradwives
Jacobin writer and editor Meagan Day joins us to talk about what reactionary "tradwife" influencers are latching onto, and how social democracy can actually help families in a way that ugly anti-feminist culture war can't. Before that, Ben does an Opening Argument on what the Epstein scandal says about our late capitalist hellscape. (No postgame tonight, sorry!)Read Ben's Epste
Season 7 Episode 23: Norm Finkelstein & Matt McManus on John Stuart Mill
The crossover event the world has eagerly awaited is here (OK, well, some of us are excited)--Matt McManus and Stormin' Norman Finkelstein on the same podcast episode. As it turns out, they share an interest in John Stuart Mill, so we thought it might be interesting to explore that. Before that, Ben does an Opening Argument on Bret Stephens's absurd genocide denialism.Watch Norm deliver
Season 7 Episode 22: Exploitation and Analytical Marxism (ft. Nicholas Vrousalis)
Nicholas Vrousalis, author of "Exploitation as Domination: What Makes Capitalism Unjust" joins Ben Burgis to talk about his book, how to rigorously think about capitalist exploitation, what it was like to work with G.A. Cohen in grad school, and more. Before that, Ben does an Opening Argument about the bizarro arguments of pro-Trump libertarians. In the postgame for patrons, Ryan Zickgra
Season 7 Episode 21: How Capitalism Ends (Bastille Day Special w/Steve Paxton)
Steve Paxton studied with the great Marxist philosopher G.A. Cohen as a graduate student at Oxford. Since then, he's had blue-collar jobs, white collar jobs, and been unemployed, but he's never stopped writing and thinking about socialism and Marxism. For this special Bastille Day episode, Ben Burgis talks with Steve about his book "How Capitalism Ends." Oh, and it's graph
Season 7 Episode 20: We Have Always Had a Union (ft. Shaun Richman)
Labor scholar Shaun Richman joins us to talk to Ben Burgis about his book "We Always Had a Union: The New York Hotel Workers’ Union, 1912-1953." Before that, Ben does an Opening Argument on the absurd attacks on Zohran that have been made everywhere from National Review to Reason to...Matt Taibbi's Substack. (Goddamnit, Matt.) In the postgame for patrons, Ben and the crew get heart-
Season 7 Episode 19: Flowers for Marx
Two authors from the new anthology "Flowers for Marx" (returning guests Matt McManus & Conrad Hamilton) join Ben Burgis to chat about the book. Before that, Ben and the crew debunk more smears of Zohran. In the postgame for patrons, Matt puts in a shift joining us on our long march through Jordan Peterson vs. 20 atheists.Order Flowers for Marx:https://www.revolpress.com/flowersFollow
Season 7 Episode 18: Michael O'Neill Burns & Matt McManus on Marx & Ideology
Philosophical and comedic YouTube person Michael O'Neill Burns comes on GTAA for the first time and political science professor Matt McManus comes on for the billionth time (rough approximation) so they can discuss Marx and ideology. Before that, Ben and the crew break down some of the worst pro-war talking points wrt Iran. In the postgame, we continue our long march through Jordan Peterson v
Season 7 Episode 17: Another World is Possible (ft. Natasha Zapata)
Natasha Hakimi Zapata joins us to chat w/Ben about her important new book "Another World is Possible: Lessons for America from Around the Globe." From Britain's NHS to Singapore's publicly-leased housing system to New Zealand's egalitarian pensions to Norway's family policies, her book documents the way that countries around the world have proven that social problems
Season 7 Episode 16: Citizen Marx
Bruno Leipold joins Ben Burgis to talk about his excellent book "Citizen Marx: Republicanism and the Formation of Karl Marx's Social and Political Thought." Before that, Ben does an Opening Argument responding to Jodi Dean on "neofeudalism." In the postgame for patrons, RM Brown joins Ben and the crew to break down some more of Jordan Peterson's bizarro debate with 20
Season 7 Episode 15: Nathan Robinson on His Book w/Noam Chomsky (+ Jordan Peterson's Jubilee)
Current Affairs editor Nathan J. Robinson joins Ben Burgis to talk about his and Noam Chomsky's new book "The Myth of American Idealism: How U.S. Foreign Policy Endangers the World." In the postgame for patrons, Ben and the cre watch some of Jordan Peterson's Jubilee debate, in which Peterson realizes he can brilliantly defend his position by the 5D chess strategy of angrily ta
Season 7 Episode 14: Karl Marx in America (ft. Andrew Hartman)
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 slight
Season 7 Episode 13: Eric Blanc on the Way Forward for Labor
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 Tw
Season 7 Episode 12: Congressman Ro Khanna Gives Us An Argument
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
Season 7 Episode 11: Talking Hegel w/Borna Radnik & Matt McManus
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, Jaso
Season 7 Episode 10: Matt Bruenig & Luke Savage on "Abundance"
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 f
Season 7 Episode 9: Songs to Revolt To
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.univers
Season 7 Episode 8: Debating Socialism w/the Libertarian Institute's Keith Knight
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 gratitu
Season 7 Episode 7: Debating Palestine w/Philosopher Spencer Case
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
Season 7 Episode 6: Watching Dugin & Glenn Greenwald w/Deep State Kuba
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
Season 7 Episode 5: Conversations with Platypi (Ben & Jason at UC-Irvine)
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
Season 7 Episode 4: Walter Block Calls for Legalizing Sexual Harassment & Privatizing Roads
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-
Season 7 Episode 3: Vivek Chibber is Done with Your Nonsense
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 h
Season 7 Episode 2: Debating Abortion Rights w/Spencer Case
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 Spenc
Season 7 Episode 1: The Gulf of Liberal Socialism (ft. Matt McManus)
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
Season 6 FINALE: Jordan Peterson Wrestles with God/Ben at MSNBC (ft. Matt McManus & Robert Myles)
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
Season 6 Episode 43: The World is on Fire But Mean Djene & Deep State Kuba Can Talk Us Through It
[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
Season 6 Episode 42: Matt McManus Talks Liberal Socialism
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-Poli
Season 6 Episode 41: Vanessa Wills on Marx's Ethical Vision/Juan David Rojas on Kamala vs. Claudia
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 fasc
Season 6 Episode 40: One of Us is the Killer (+ Preview of "Four Essays on Palestine" Launch Film)
Season 6 Episode 39: From Plato to Marx w/David Lay Williams
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&ap
Season 6 Episode 38: Talking Palestine w/Deep State Kuba
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-
Season 6 Episode 37: The Catholic Left (and Also Some Protestants)
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 prac
Season 6 Episode 36: Debunking the Many Bad Arguments Made By Israel’s Apologists in the West
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
Season 6 Episode 35: Ukraine War Update w/Danny & Derek from American Prestige
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-essa
Season 6 Episode 34: Inequality Debate w/Will Cooper/Anti-Haitian Racism from Yarvin to Trump
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 amou
Recommended
Apple News In Conversation
SLOW ENGLISH PODCAST (A1-A2) With Subtitles | Daily Videos | English With Us Podcast
Breaking News from Pod Save America
The Young and Called Podcast .
Jubal Phone Pranks from The Jubal Show
TopMusic Piano Podcast
CBS Evening News
The Daily
World News Tonight with David Muir
The Joe Rogan Experience
TED Talks Daily
English Vocabulary Help
