Give Them An Argument

Ben Burgis and the GTAA crew talk about The Oscar Slap and the way it perfectly encapsulates the way our weird late capitalist hellscape manages to turn every stupid little thing that happens into a political issue at the sake time as the most important issues are barely mentioned. Ben talks up a class he's teaching at the School for Social and Cultural Change about the arguments in Marx's "Capital" and promotes a couple of upcoming events in Toronto. (For details on those see: https://twitter.com/BenBurgis/status/1509997688162594820 ) The main event is a crossover with one of our favorite non-GTAA podcasts, "What's Left of Philosophy?", in which two of the co-hosts (Owen Glyn-Williams & Gil Morejón) join Ben to go through Jordan B. Peterson's recently released list of alleged "postmodern neo-Marxists." (You'll be shocked to learn it's not a well-though-out list.) In the philosophy segment w/Dr. Jenn Burgis, Ben & Jenn introduce the Teleological Argument for the existence of God and play an an old clip of Bill O'Reilly making an....odd argument against atheism. Last but definitely not least, Matt Lech of Majority Report & Left Reckoning hangs out in the postgame for GTAA patrons.To become a patron and for the monthly cost of a milkshake at the fifties nostalgia diner in Pulp Fiction check out that postgame and every other postgame, as well as get access to the Discord server and get numerous other benefits (most importantly our eternal love & gratitude for supporting the work we do and letting us keep it going), go to:patreon.com/benburgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @gtaa_showFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisListen to What's Left of Philosophy? and become a patron of *them*:https://www.patreon.com/leftofphilosophyFollow What's Left of Philosophy on Twitter: @leftofphil

[Before you read the episode description: Listeners in Toronto should check out these upcoming events! https://twitter.com/BenBurgis/status/1509997688162594820 ]Ben Burgis and the GTAA Crew (this week featuring the Prodigal Producer Cale returning to sub for Current Producer Jake) are talk about the latest free speech controversy and Ben's article in Current Affairs about "whataboutism" and the anti-war Left being accused of being Putin apologists. Then Ben's interview with philosophy professor, popular YouTuber and popularizer of neo-Stoicism Gregory B. Sadler, released to patrons late last year, is unlocked as the main event. Gregory talks about subjects ranging from teaching philosophy in prison to the Stoic practice of "premeditatio malorum." It's very good stuff.In a second substitution, the part of Jennifer Burgis (on her way to Texas for a family commitment) is played by philosophy professor Ryan Lake, who in return for his generosity with  his time is subjected to having to watch a Ben Shapiro clip on Lake's specialty (free will and determinism) in the philosophy segment. Finally, Jason Myles from This is Revolution hang's out in the postgame for GTAA patrons.To watch the postgame w/Jason and every patron-exclusive postgame, as well as to access the Discord server and various other benefits--and most importantly to earn our undying love and gratitude for supporting the work we do and letting us keep it going--become a GTAA patron:patreon.com/benburgisWatch Gregory B. Sadler's YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/GregoryBSadlerFollow Gregory on Twitter:@philosopher70Order Ben's new book from worker-owned Red Emmas:https://redemmas.org/titles/36536-christopher-hitchens--what-he-got-right--how-he-went-wrong--and-why-he-still-mattersFollow Ben on Twitter:@benburgisLike, subscribe, and get notifications on Ben’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/BenBurgisGTAAVisit benburgis.com

Ben Burgis and the GTAA crew look at some insane responses to Joe Biden's declaration that he won't start World War III and review a mini-debate that Ben and Ryan Lake had with a Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist during Ben's Callin show. Benjamin Teitelbaum, author of "War for Eternity," is the main guest. Ben Burgis tends to think Steven Bannon is just a regular Reaganite Republican (which is bad and dangerous enough!) withe edgy prince-of-darkness branding, while Teitelbaum thinks Bannon is something different and qualitatively more dangerous. At the end the two Bens' positions converge a bit. In the philosophy segment at the end of the main show, Ben (Burgis) and his wife Dr. Jennifer Burgis watch a clip of a third Ben, Ben Shapiro. Finally, in the postgame for GTAA patrons, Plastic Pills co-host Victor Bruzzone and YouTuber "Mouthy Infidel" (whose channel has more recently been renamed "Electrons in Love" and whose parents named him Ethan) rejoin Ben to watch the Q&A from the debate the three of them broke down last Thursday. Become a GTAA patron:patreon.com/benburgisWatch the debate breakdown last Thursday: "Is Russia's Invasion of Ukraine Justified? (Jackson Hinkle & Infrared vs. Destiny & Dylan Burns)"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaLWmdiokMo(We always skip the Q&A when we do debate breakdowns but we've been assured from many sources that in this particular case the Q&A is worth watching at least a spectacle. Sparks were already flying during the debate itself but apparently they get spark-ier and fly-ier during the Q&A.)Order Benjamin Titelbaum's book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SD11Z2Y/Order Ben Burgis's most recent book:https://redemmas.org/titles/36536-christopher-hitchens--what-he-got-right--how-he-went-wrong--and-why-he-still-matters

[Many apologies for the earlier release with the wrong file!]Two years ago, Ben Burgis, Matt McManus, Marion Trejo-McManus and Conrad Hamilton co-wrote a book called "Myth and Mayhem: A Leftist Critique of Jordan Peterson." Last year there was a GTAA episode about it. Now that our boy's active again, getting back out into the world and dropping bombs like "climate is just everything so how can we have a scientific model to predict climate change," seems like a good time to check back in on him. All the authors of "Myth and Mayhem" return to check back in on our boy JBP as the main event of this episode.Before that, Ben and the GTAA crew talk a bit about Biden's State of the Union address and calls from various quarters for the United States to turn the war in Ukraine into World War III by setting up a no fly-zone and recap the parts of Ben's recent conversation with Joe Rogan where Ben argued against anti-CRT laws (and against attempts like the one right now in Texas to ban trans kids from going on puberty blockers) and where Ben & Joe talked about whether a Battle of the Bens could be arranged where Ben Burgis and Ben Shapiro would debate their many political disagreements. In the last part of the main show, Ben and his wife Dr. Jennifer Burgis take a look at Jordan Peterson's attempt to navigate the issue of free will & determinism. Finally in the postgame for patrons, Current Affairs editor Nathan J. Robinson joins Ben and the GTAA crew to review some of the many many tweets by World War III enthusiasts who think anyone who doesn't want the United States to intervene in Ukraine is an "appeaser."Guys, this is a great episode.Become a GTAA patron so you can get al those sweet sweet patron-exclusive postgames:patreon.com/benburgisOrder "Myth and Mayhem: A Leftist Critique of Jordan Peterson" from worker-owned Red Emmas:https://redemmas.org/titles/34806-myth-and-mayhem-a-leftist-critique-of-jordan-petersonWatch the complete conversation between Ben Burgis and Joe Rogan:https://open.spotify.com/episode/0UmjhCbyz0oG6bWUKlnNeF

Ben Burgis was on the Joe Rogan Experience last week so a good chunk of this is devoted to going over some clips from that but the main event tonight is a crossover w/the Valley Labor Report podcast to debunk the terrible arguments in employer-sponsored anti-union propaganda. This was a fun one.Watch the full appearance:https://open.spotify.com/episode/0UmjhCbyz0oG6bWUKlnNeFOrder the book Ben was talking about on JRE from worker-owned Red Emmas bookstore:https://redemmas.org/titles/34877-canceling-comedians-while-the-world-burns-a-critique-of-the-contemporary-left...and his new book on Christopher Hitchens:https://redemmas.org/titles/36536-christopher-hitchens--what-he-got-right--how-he-went-wrong--and-why-he-still-mattersListen to the Valley Labor Report:https://thevalleylaborreport.org/Follow the podcast on Twitter:https://twitter.com/LaborReportersSupport Give Them An Argument on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/benburgis. Patrons get a bonus episode every Thursday, access to the Discord server, a “Sopranos” Recap Bonus Episode every month with Mike Recine, Nando Vila, and Wosny Lambre, a monthly Discord Movie Night, and "Discord Office Hours" (regularly scheduled group voice chats).Follow Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BenBurgisLike, subscribe, and get notifications on Ben’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/BenBurgisGTAAVisit benburgis.com

Fan-favorite returning guest Lillian Cicerchia (co-host of "What's Left of Philosophy?") comes back to talk to Ben Burgis about Marxist accounts of exploitation--how the concept relates to a useful description of capitalist economies and why it's important to the case for socialism. Producer Jake, whose day job is "union organizer," talks abut the gathering wave of Starbucks unionizations around the country. Professor Jennifer Burgis joins Ben for a philosophy segment on Robert Nozick's theory of property rights. Ryan joins us for the postgame GTAA patrons to talk Mario, turtles, philosophy, and why Biden doesn't just cancel student loans.Order Ben's new book from worker-owned Red Emmas:https://redemmas.org/titles/36536-christopher-hitchens--what-he-got-right--how-he-went-wrong--and-why-he-still-mattersListen to the Callin show (now available on androids and iPhones to call in and browsers for listen-only):https://www.callin.com/show/give-me-an-argument-the-ben-burgis-call-in-show-SxHBwTxAPCIndependent creators rely on your support to create the content you want! Support Give Them An Argument on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/benburgis. Patrons get a bonus episode every Thursday, access to the Discord server, a “Sopranos” Recap Bonus Episode every month with Mike Recine, Nando Vila, and Wosny Lambre, a monthly Discord Movie Night, and "Discord Office Hours" (regularly scheduled group voice chats).Follow Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BenBurgisLike, subscribe, and get notifications on Ben’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/BenBurgisGTAAVisit benburgis.com

Ben Burgis and the GTAA crew talk about all the big dumb controversies of the week (Rogan, Whoopi) and try to extract from them at least a couple of things that actually matter. Noami Karavani, a comedian and correspondent for "Redacted Tonight," joins Ben to debunk some Prager U videos. Dr. Jenn comes on for a philosophy segment and the one and only Conan Neutron is on deck t hang out in the postgame for patrons. Good stuff all around.Follow Naomi on Twitter: @naomikaravaniFollow Redacted tonight: @RedactedTonightOrder Ben's new book ("Christopher Hitchens: What He Got Right, How He Went Wrong, and Why He Still Matters") from worker-owned Red Emmas:https://redemmas.org/titles/36536-christopher-hitchens--what-he-got-right--how-he-went-wrong--and-why-he-still-mattersListen to the Callin show:https://www.callin.com/show/give-me-an-argument-the-ben-burgis-call-in-show-SxHBwTxAPCIndependent creators rely on your support to create the content you want! Support Give Them An Argument on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/benburgis. Patrons get a bonus episode every Thursday, access to the Discord server, a “Sopranos” Recap Bonus Episode every month with Mike Recine, Nando Vila, and Wosny Lambre, a monthly Discord Movie Night, and "Discord Office Hours" (regularly scheduled group voice chats).Follow Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BenBurgisLike, subscribe, and get notifications on Ben’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/BenBurgisGTAAVisit benburgis.com

Ben Burgis and the GTAA crew talk about Hitchens and lesser figures who "left the left." Slovenian anti-capitalist philosopher Slavoj Zizek returns to the show to talk about subjects ranging from communism to AOC's boyfriend's feet. There's a preview of the last patron episode w/Conrad Hamilton, Professor Jennifer Burgis comes on for a philosophy segment, and Ethan Hershenfeld comes on to hangout and watch clips of William Lane Craig and Ben Shapiro in the postgame for patrons. This is a very good episode.Order Ben's new book! For much of the last couple weeks it's been the #1 New Release in Atheism (and #3 in History and Theory of Politics) on Amazon, which was nice to see, but instead of there order it from worker-owned Red Emmas bookstore:https://redemmas.org/titles/36536-christopher-hitchens--what-he-got-right--how-he-went-wrong--and-why-he-still-mattersIndependent creators rely on your support to create the content you want! Support Give Them An Argument on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/benburgisPatrons get a bonus episode every Thursday, access to the Discord server, a “Sopranos” Recap Bonus Episode every month with Mike Recine, Nando Vila, and Wosny Lambre, a monthly Discord Movie Night, and "Discord Office Hours" (regularly scheduled group voice chats).Follow Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BenBurgisLike, subscribe, and get notifications on Ben’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/BenBurgisGTAAVisit benburgis.com

Ben Burgis and the GTAA crew talk about the Democrats rapturous embrace of Dick Cheney. The main guest is Scott Horton, talks about the hlighlights of his recent debate with neocon all-star Bill Kristol. After a quick preview of the patron-exclusive episode from the weekend w/Matt McManus ("Season 3 Episode 26: To Beat the Right We Have to Understand Their Arguments"), Professor Jennifer Burgis returns for another attempt to sort of Sam Harris's deep confusion about meta-ethics.Order Ben's book "Christopher Hitchens: What He Got Right, How He Went Wrong, and Why He Still Matters" (out now!) from worker-owned Red Emmas:https://redemmas.org/titles/36536-chr...Independent creators rely on your support to create the content you want! Support Give Them An Argument on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/benburgis. Patrons get a bonus episode every Thursday, access to the Discord server, a “Sopranos” Recap Bonus Episode every month with Mike Recine, Nando Vila, and Wosny Lambre, a monthly Discord Movie Night, and "Discord Office Hours" (regularly scheduled group voice chats).Follow Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BenBurgisLike, subscribe, and get notifications on Ben’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/BenBurgisGTAAVisit benburgis.com

Ben Burgis wrote a book about Christopher Hitchens--it came out on Saturday! You can snag a copy from worker-owned Red Emmas at this link:https://redemmas.org/titles/36536-christopher-hitchens--what-he-got-right--how-he-went-wrong--and-why-he-still-mattersBen and Djene Bajalan watch and discuss some clips of Christopher, and we unlock Ben's previously patron-exclusive interview with Christopher's thoughtful and entertaining but also terrifyingly ultra-conservative brother Peter Hitchens--who takes the opportunity to say that Margaret Thatcher wasn't "really" a conservative. (Note: The interview was a crossover with The Popular Show.) After that, Ben's wife Professor Jennifer Burgis joins him to talk about Sam Harris's recent thoughts on the is/ought gap in the philosophy section. Finally, our prodigal producer Cale returns to GTAA to hang out in the postgame. It's a good time.Independent creators rely on your support to create the content you want! Support Give Them An Argument on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/benburgis. Patrons get a bonus episode every Thursday, access to the Discord server, a “Sopranos” Recap Bonus Episode every month with Mike Recine, Nando Vila, and Wosny Lambre, a monthly Discord Movie Night, and "Discord Office Hours" (regularly scheduled group voice chats).Follow Ben on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BenBurgisLike, subscribe, and get notifications on Ben’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/BenBurgisGTAAVisit benburgis.com