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

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

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

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

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

Matt McManus, a political theorist and commentator, and Robert Myles, a biblical scholar, join Ben Burgis to explore Jordan Peterson's 'We Who Wrestle with God.' The trio humorously critiques Peterson's take on Marx, emphasizing his misunderstandings. They also delve into political discourse surrounding Obama's legacy, shedding light on media reactions and liberal responses. Throughout, the discussion highlights the complexities of biblical texts, Marxist interpretations, and the need for deeper engagement with ideology and morality in contemporary debates.

[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

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

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."