

Give Them An Argument
Ben Burgis
Give Them An Argument is a YouTube show and podcast dedicated to building a smarter, funnier and more strategic Left. New episodes are live on YouTube on Monday nights with an exclusive postgame for GTAA patrons after the main show. (To become a patron, go to patreon.com/benburgis and sign up for the monthly cost of a milkshake at a 50s nostalgia diner in 1994.) Past guests have included Slavoj Žižek, Richard Wolff, David Pizarro, Gregory Sadler, Glenn Greenwald, Krystal Ball, Bhaskar Sunkara, Sam Seder, Ana Kasparian, Emma Vigeland, Matt Christman, and Amber Frost. The show has also featured debates between host Ben Burgis and opponents ranging from Walter Block to Charlie Kirk.Ben is a philosophy professor, Jacobin columnist, and frequent debater. He did a regular "Debunk" segment on the Michael Brooks Show until 2020. He's appeared on the Debate Night with Charlie Kirk, System Update with Glenn Greenwald, Rising, Krystal, Kyle & Friends, the Majority Report w/Sam Seder & the Joe Rogan Experience.benburgis.compatreon.com/benburgis
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 14, 2023 • 2h 34min
Season 5 Episode 24: Matt McManus on the Political Right & Inequality
Returning champion Matt McManus, Jacobin contributor lecturer on Political Science at the University of Michigan, discusses his brand new book "The Political Right and Equality: Turning Back the Tide of Egalitarian Modernity." It officially releases on the 21st, but you can pre-order it here:https://www.routledge.com/The-Political-Right-and-Equality-Turning-Back-the-Tide-of-Egalitarian-Modernity/McManus/p/book/9781032310831Before that, Ben and the crew watch a throwback clip of Ben, Ana Kasparian, and Michael Brooks reacting to the Zizek/Peterson debate and a recent clip of Ana's debate over Medicare for All with Adam Friended and PSA Sitch, and Matt and the crew watch Prager U's latest attempt to make sense of Marxism. At the end of the show, Ben makes the case against canceling Ana over recent micro-controversies and Ben and Graphic Designer Andy struggle-session a bit about some of the underlying issues. Mean Djene Bajalan and the one and only Jason Myles hang out in the postgame for GTAA patrons.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.com

Jul 8, 2023 • 2h 8min
Season 5 Episode 23: The Return of Norman Finkelstein
Norman Finkelstein comes back to GTAA to discuss recent Supreme Court rulings and some themes from his book "I'll Burn That Bridge When I Get to It! Heretical Thoughts on Identity Politics, Cancel Culture, and Academic Freedom" with Ben Burgis. This is Revolution host and Sublation magazine columnist Jason Myles rides shotgun. The film criticism of one Noah Berlatsky, scourge of "class-first leftism," is dissected in the postgame for GTAA patrons.Buy Norm's book:https://www.amazon.com/Heretical-Thoughts-Identity-Politics-Academic/dp/B0BSJXB7WNRead Jason at Sublation:https://www.sublationmag.com/writers/jason-mylesFollow 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

Jun 30, 2023 • 2h 14min
Season 5 Episode 22: The Great Peterson/Lindsay Lunacy Summit of 2023 (ft. Matt McManus)
James Lindsay went on Jordan Peterson's podcast. Matt McManus joins us to break down the resulting typhoon of reactionary pseudo-intellectual nonsense. Before that, Ben Burgis and the GTAA crew cover the controversy over the new documentary "Israelism," Charlie Kirk's reaction to Juneteenth, and a highlight of Emma Vigeland's recent conversation with Tim Pool. Last but definitely not least, Producer Jordan joins us in the postgame for GTAA patrons.Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Jordan on Twitter: @jayohardeeayenFollow 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

Jun 23, 2023 • 1h 45min
Season 5 Episode 21: Mars Needs Blood Boys (ft. RM Brown, Naomi Karavani & Michele Greenstein)
Special guests RM Brown, Naomi Karavani & Michele Greenstein join Ben Burgis to talk about Elon Musk and Peter Thiel. Before that, Ben, RM, and the crew discuss Cornel West's response to Ben's article. In the postgame for patrons, the gang breaks down a "Democrat for DeSantis" article.Listen to Naomi and Michele's new podcast "Cargo Cult":https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cargo-cult/id1687043930Read Ben's article about Cornel West:https://jacobin.com/2023/06/cornel-west-democratic-party-2024-presidential-election-biden-primariesFollow RM on Twitter: @xrmbrownx2Follow Naomi on Twitter: @naomikaravaniFollow Michele on Twitter: @peopleconspireFollow 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

Jun 20, 2023 • 1h 51min
GTAA Season 5 Episode 20: Heroes of the Fourth Turning (ft. Will Arbery)
Playwright and "Succession" staff writer Will Arbery joins the show for the first time to talk about his award-winning play "Heroes of the Fourth Turning"--an intense story about young conservatives set a week after the Charlottesville riots--which came out a few months ago in book form. Before that, Ben Burgis and the GTAA crew take on the absurdly empty pseudo-populist candidacy ofd RFK, Jr. In the postgame for patrons, Producer Jordan joins Ben and the rest of the crew to continue delving into the deep lunacy of James Lindsay (and check in about what Max Blumenthal and Aaron Mate have been saying about Ben on the Grayzone). Fun episode all around.Pick up a copy of "Heroes of the Fourth Turning":https://www.powells.com/book/-9781559369886/1-0Follow Jordan on Twitter: @jayohardeeayenFollow 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

Jun 16, 2023 • 2h 23min
GTAA/TiR/LR NYC Live Show ft. Bhaskar Sunkara, Emma Vigeland & Sam Seder (Unlocked)
A few months ago, Give Them An Argument, Left Reckoning and This is Revolution did a joint "Give Them a Revolution" live show in New York ft. special guests Bhaskar Sunkara, Emma Vigeland, and Sam Seder. We're finally making the complete recording public. Jason Myles and Deep State Kuba from TiR, David Griscom and Matt Lech from LR, and Ben Burgis and (off to the side drawing pictures sold after the show) J. Andrew World from GTAA represented and friend-of-all-the-shows Conan Neutron MC-ed. Enjoy!Follow TiR on Twitter: @TIRShowOaklandFollow LR on Twitter: @LeftReckoningFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisBecome 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

Jun 13, 2023 • 1h 46min
GTAA Season 5 Episode 19: The USSR/How Revolutions Go Wrong (ft. Varn, Deep State Kuba & Mean Djene)
A lot of people who don't love capitalism might still worry about the way revolutions can go very, very wrong. In the crumbling Russian Empire a little over a hundred years ago, the Bolsheviks came to power on a platform "land, peace and bread" and "all power to" democratically elected workers councils...and ended up with an authoritarian and often economically dysfunctional one-party state where working-class people had fewer right in some ways than their counterparts in Western Europe. What went wrong, and what lessons might still be relevant for those of us who still dream of a pot-capitalist future?A power panel of Varn Vlog host C. Derrick Varn and This is Revolution crew members Mean Djene Bajalan and "Deep State" Kuba join Ben Burgis to wrestle with these questions. And of course we f*ck around about less serious subjects in the postgame for GTAA patrons because that's the deal with that.Watch Varn Vlog:https://www.youtube.com/@VarnVlogWatch This is Revolution:https://www.youtube.com/@THISISREVOLUTIONpodcastCheck out Djene's new public radio show, Talking History Live:https://www.ksmu.org/podcast/talking-historyFollow Djene on Twitter: @djenebajalanFollow Varn on Twitter: @skepoetFollow 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

May 23, 2023 • 1h 58min
Season 5 Episode 17: Matt McManus on Matt Walsh + A Dialogue w/Christine Sypnowich
In the first half of the main show, Political Science prof and Jacobin contributor Matt McManus joins Ben Burgis to discuss his new article about another, much more unpleasant Matt--Matt Walsh. In the second half, we replay Ben's dialogue at a Boston Review event last week with socialist philosopher Christine Sypnowich about equality of opportunity vs. equal flourishing. Last but not least, Zac and Gavin from The Vanguard join Ben and Andy--it's Jake's birthday, so he was reluctantly given the night off--in the postgame for GTAA patrons.Read Matt's article ("Matt Walsh’s Vitriolic Anti-Trans Christianity Is Distinctly Anti-Christian"):https://jacobin.com/2023/05/matt-walsh-anti-trans-christianity-gender-lgbtq-philosophy-reviewRead Ben's Substack about Christine Sypnowich ("What We Talk About When We Talk About Inequality"):https://benburgis.substack.com/p/what-we-talk-about-when-we-talk-aboutFollow 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

May 16, 2023 • 1h 6min
Season 5 Episode 16: Lillian Cicerchia on Marx, Materialism, and the Poverty of Philosophy
Left-wing academic philosopher, Jacobin contributor, and "What's Left of Philosophy?" co-host Lillian Cicerchia comes back on the show to talk to Ben Burgis about Karl Marx's book "The Poverty of Philosophy" and, more broadly, different ways of construing materialism vs. idealism debates and the sometimes vexed relationship between moral critiques of capitalism and Marxist thought. Before that, Ben and the GTAA crew get into the recent strike victory at Rutgers, Bernie vs. Chris Wallace on whether there should be billionaires, and Gad Saad's objections to a 32-hour workweek. In the postgame for GTAA patrons, Jason Myles and Deep State Kuba from This is Revolution podcast join Ben and the crew to watch a expose recently done by intrepid journalists on....the fact that leftists sometimes got to each other's weddings. Don't worry, everyone holds Ben to account for this important transgression.Become a GTAA patron or sign up for the Marx/Proudhon class:patreon.com/benburgisFollow Lillian on Twitter: @classreductressFollow Jason on Twitter: @J_Myles_TiRFollow Kuba on Twitter: @DrKuba2Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

May 13, 2023 • 1h 51min
Season 5 Episode 15: Happy May Day & Goodbye to Tucker Carlson
Naomi Karavani, RM Brown, and Branko Marcetic join Ben Burgis to say goodbye to Tucker Carlson's show on Fox. You can read Ben's article "Tucker Carlson Is a Repugnant, Pseudo-Populist Fraud" here:https://jacobin.com/2023/04/tucker-carlson-populism-ruling-class-minimum-wage-medicare-for-all-war/...and Branko's article "Tucker Carlson Isn’t an Anti-Imperialist — He’s a Rabid China Hawk" here:https://jacobin.com/2023/04/tucker-carlson-imperialist-china-hawkBefore that, Ben and the GTAA crew talk a bit about May Day and the (ongoing) struggle for a shorter workweek, play a clip of Kyle Kulinski talking about Ben's article on that, and promote the class on Proudhon's "Philosophy of Poverty" and Marx's "Philosophy of Poverty" starting on the GTAA Patreon in May. In the postgame for patrons, Producer Jordan joins us to talk about Slavoj Žižek's mutlipolarity article in Compact.Follow Naomi on Twitter: @naomikaravaniFollow Branko on Twitter: @BMarchetichFollow RM on Twitter: @xrmbrownx2Follow Producer Jordan on Twitter: @jayohardeeayenFollow 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